N.Y City Mayor Announces New Speed Cameras Near Schools
Newsday (New York), Sept. 2, 2014
A total of 140 speed enforcement cameras will be installed near city schools over the next two years, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Tuesday, as part of his Vision Zero initiative to end pedestrian deaths. Twenty-three cameras are already in place. Cameras are especially necessary near schools because being struck by a car is the leading cause of “injury-related death” for children under 14, de Blasio said. See related article in New Hyde Park Illustrated. (Top photo by Petr Svab of The Epoch Times. Bottom photo by Charles Eckert of Newsday)
Longview’s School Zone Cameras Return with Students
The Daily News (Washington), Sept. 2, 2014
Longview’s school-zone traffic cameras return to active duty Wednesday (Sept. 3) after a summer shutdown. Since the start of school-zone photo enforcement program in 2011, 17,534 tickets have been issued. The location recording the highest number of violations in 2014 was at Mark Morris, where 3,258 tickets were issued.
Distracted Driving Plagues School Zones
KPLC-TV NBC 7 (Louisiana), Sept. 2, 2014
There’s reason to believe the problem of distracted drivers around school zones and school buses is getting worse. “In 2013, two million more drivers passed school bus stop arms than they did in 2011,” Charles Territo of American Traffic Solutions said. “There is no question that distracted driving plays a role.”
5 More Seattle Schools Get Cameras to Spot Speeders
Seattle Times (Washington), Sept. 1, 2014
As children return to class this week, speed-enforcement cameras will be turned on at five more Seattle schools, increasing the city’s lucrative network to a total of nine locations. … Last year, 47,621 camera-generated citations were issued to motorists outside the first four schools, generating $7.1 million net revenue. City Council policy is to reinvest the money into more speed cameras, crosswalks, sidewalks, signals and traffic-safety education.
Kent School Traffic Cameras Catch Nearly 5,000 in 6 Months
Kent Reporter (Washington), Aug. 28, 2014
Nearly 5,000 drivers were caught speeding in two Kent school zones during the first six months of the city’s new traffic camera program. The cameras go into operation again when Kent schools open Thursday, Aug. 28. Kent only has cameras at two school zones. “That’s about 475 per month on average and we’ve only had it since January,” Councilman Jim Berrios said. “That’s pretty disturbing.”
Girl Hit by Car at School Bus Stop Suffers Minor Injuries
Tampa Bay Times (Florida), Sept. 3, 2014
An 11-year-old girl was hit by a car while waiting at a school bus stop Wednesday morning, according to Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office reports. Deputies said it looked like a driver passed a school bus while it flashed its yellow lights to pick the girl up. An investigation remained under way at 8:30 a.m. See related coverage from Bay News 9.
Study Ranks Georgia No. 1 in School Bus Passing Violations
WGCL-TV CBS 46, Sept. 2, 2014
A new study ranks Georgia No. 1 in school bus passing violations. According to American Traffic Solutions, which installs road safety cameras, 100 children die annually and 25,000 are injured on their way to and from school. Many of those accidents are related to drivers illegally passing school buses.
Media Highlight Dangers Students Face Getting to School
WMAQ TV NBC 5 (Illinois)
New statistics show drivers are not always paying attention around school buses, which could endanger children all over the country. See related coverage by WPXI-TV Channel 11.
Car Rear-Ends School Bus
WSVN-TV Channel 7 (Florida), Aug. 29, 2014
A Broward County school bus was rear-ended by a sedan as it was making a stop between Hiatus and Nob Hill Roads, on Sunrise Boulevard in Plantation.
Red Means Stop Honored for Traffic Safety Work
KPNX-TV NBC 12 (Arizona), Sept. 3, 2014
This month, 12 News’ community spotlight focuses on Red Means Stop, a Arizona-based nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing motor vehicle crashes. KPNX-TV 12 News honors Red Means Stop with this month’s 12 Who Care Award for its extraordinary work in the community.
Police Cam Catches Driver Passing School Bus on Sidewalk
WSB-TV Channel 2 (Georgia), Sept. 2, 2014
The Peachtree City Police Department posted video on its Facebook page of a driver passing a school bus — on the sidewalk.
School Bus Cameras to Catch Drivers Who Endanger Students
KOMO-TV ABC 4 (Washington), Aug. 27, 2014
Two Puget Sound school districts are installing cameras on their school buses to catch drivers who speed around them while students are getting on or off. School officials are hoping the surveillance cameras will catch offenders who illegally pass school buses.
Intersection Collision Injures Driver
The Journal Gazette (Indiana), Sept. 3, 2014
Police said the school bus was traveling south in the far left lane on Clinton Street when a newer Honda Accord apparently ran a red light and hit the side of the bus.. The impact pushed the bus off the road and against a retaining wall. (The Journal Gazette photo by Cathy Rowand)
4 More Speed Cameras Activating Next Week
WLS-Radio 890 AM (Illinois), Aug. 30, 2014
Four new speed cameras will start issuing warnings to drivers next week in the Pilsen, Norwood Park, McKinley Park and North Lawndale neighborhoods of Chicago.
Polling Memo Shows Public Green Light for Red-Light Cameras
PolitickerNJ.com (New Jersey), Aug. 29, 2014
According to a poll conducted by National Research Inc., a solid majority of New Jersey voters — 58 percent — support the use of red-light safety cameras at New Jersey’s busiest intersections.
Study: Drivers More Likely to Run Red Lights in Afternoon
Health Canal (New Zealand), Aug. 29, 2014
Drivers are more likely to run red lights in week day afternoon peak hours then in the mornings, a University of Canterbury engineering research team has confirmed. The research also showed drivers are more inclined to jump red lights in areas of slower lower speed limits.
Driver of SUV that Crashed into School Bus Dies
WINK-TV CBS (Florida), Aug. 28, 2014
The driver of the SUV that crashed into a bus from Island Coast High School on US 41 has died. Officials say the school bus was stopped at a red light when the SUV slammed into the back of the bus at a high rate of speed.
ATS_RoadSafety @ATS_RoadSafety Not so fast. ATM thieves caught on camera blowing red light via @nypost http://nypost.com/2014/09/02/atm… #StopOnRed
FDOT_District4 @MyFDOT_SEFL School bus safety is everyone’s responsibility. #StopOnRed Kids Ahead. http://flhsmv.gov/bussafety
Toll Readers Installed on Kennedy Bridge
Louisville Business First (Kentucky), Sept. 3, 2014
Temporary transponder readers similar to the devices that eventually will be used to collect tolls on the two downtown bridges have been installed on the Interstate 65 Kennedy Bridge. The temporary transponder readers will gather information that will help develop an efficient and effective tolling system, according to a news release from the Ohio River Bridges Project. (Ohio River Bridge Project rendering)
Motorists Choose Alternate Routes after Toll Hike
Delaware State News, Aug. 30, 2014
Starting Aug 1, the state increased the weekend rate from $2 to $3 for all vehicle classes, except oversized loads, from 7 p.m. Friday to 11 p.m. Sunday. The weekend after the tolls increased, the combined northbound and southbound motorists through both plazas dropped, with a decrease of 16,737 for Dover and 16,431 for Biddles Corner.
Commentary: Just the Facts: Red-Light Cameras Aid Safety
The Gazette (Colorado), Sept. 1, 2014
Blowing red lights is not uncommon: In some Colorado intersections it happens about every 10 minutes. It isn’t usually because drivers are intoxicated, but because they’re going too fast to stop, are on the phone, or are in a hurry. You know the feeling — “I can make it.” Yet where photographic ticketing devices are present, drastically fewer such incidents occur per capita – both at the monitored signal and at nearby stoplights.
Editorial: Speed Cameras Are in School Zones to Save Lives
Staten Island Advance (New York), Sept. 4, 2014
It’s a fact of life and death throughout New York City. Nearly one in three of the people who are killed in traffic in the five boroughs is the victim of a driver who is speeding. Speeders kill more New Yorkers than drunk drivers and drivers distracted by cellphones combined. So expanding the installation of speed cameras near schools across the city just as classes resume is bound to be lifesaving
Editorial: South Carolina’s School Bus Camera Law a Good Move
The State, Sept. 2, 2014
It was good to see the Legislature take action this year to allow police to charge drivers with passing stopped school buses based on video images taken aboard the buses, rather than requiring police to witness the violations.
Letter to the Editor: Red-Light Cameras Would Protect Pedestrians
The Hartfort Courant (Connecticut), Sept. 3. 2014
I agree that cars do not stop for pedestrians in crosswalks and there is a law against that in Connecticut. That’s why we need red-light cameras. At least they will catch the impatient drivers before they kill someone … hopefully.
Letter: To Some Drivers, Red Means Nothing
High Pointe Enterprise (North Carolina), Aug. 31, 2014
This is in response to the letter of Aug. 21 regarding running red lights. The joke about the cab driver running red lights is old, but the running red lights happens every day and is no joke. … Red-light cameras worked, if for no other reason, many people who might have run a red light didn’t because the cameras were there. A great deterrent!
“Speed cameras fundamentally change reckless behavior. Speed cameras are a wake-up call.”
Bill de Blasio, New York City Mayor
Newsday (New York), Sept. 2, 2014
“There are still people complaining they don’t like speed cameras, but that’s pretty much a fixture in the population. When I go to community meetings, I hear positive things.”
Nick Licata, Seattle City Councilmember
Seattle Times (Washington), Sept. 1, 2014