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I’ll be ramping up the blog to normal levels tomorrow, but let’s do a question while I’m getting myself back in the groove.
From a press release:
Illinois Gov. Rod. R. Blagojevich last week signed a traffic safety measure designed to make Illinois’ roads safer by giving local governments the ability to use photo enforcement at traffic signals. The governor signed House Bill 4835, which authorizes counties in Northeastern Illinois and the Metro East area to use photo enforcement at red lights. Red light cameras are already in use in Chicago.“Too many drivers think that running a red light isn’t a big deal or that they won’t be caught. It is a big deal because it’s dangerous and now, with photo enforcement, they will be caught,” said Blagojevich in a release.
HB 4835, sponsored by Rep. Angelo “Skip” Saviano (R-Elmwood Park) and Sen. John Cullerton (D-Chicago), applies to Madison and St. Clair Counties in Metro East and suburban Cook County and the other collar counties in Northeastern Illinois. It allows local governments to establish photo enforcement to catch red light violators. IDOT will work with local governments to establish locations where the photo enforcement for red lights is installed, and the agency will continue to monitor and analyze crashes at those locations to determine effectiveness.
What do you think of this idea?
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, May 23, 06 @ 8:25 am
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
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“Illinois Gov. Rod. R. Blagojevich last week signed a traffic safety measure designed to make Illinois’ roads safer by giving local governments the ability to use photo enforcement at traffic signals”
What source of road-based revenue will Springfield be cutting off to local communities now they have an opportunity & the means to capture this local revenue stream?
Comment by Leroy Tuesday, May 23, 06 @ 9:38 am
As someone who was hit by a driver running a red light, I fully support this kind of legislation. No one can afford a police officer on every corner, but apparently the citizenry is not prepared to act like adults and obey the laws so camera enforcement seems like a solution. Hopefully the revenue will taper off as people start driving properly in an effort not to get citations.
Comment by cermak_rd Tuesday, May 23, 06 @ 9:41 am
“Too many staffers think that ignoring ethics isn’t a big deal or that they won’t be caught. It is a big deal because it’s dangerous and now, with photo enforcement, they will be caught,†said Blagojevich in a release on why cameras will be installed in his Chicago and Springfield offices.
Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, May 23, 06 @ 10:24 am
I hate it and all similar big brother programs, but if you’ve been paying attention to how people are driving lately, it’s probably necessary. I’m not quite sure when it happened, but sometime over the last ten years, yellow became green and the first five seconds of red became yellow in too many driver’s minds. Since the cops won’t (I’ve seen too many just watch drivers zip through reds and do nothing) or can’t increase enforcement, this is probably a good solution to fix the problem.
Comment by ChicagoCynic Tuesday, May 23, 06 @ 10:33 am
They need to modify the vans to deal with stop signs as well — this guy was caught only because a witness ran down the street to get the license number. He should serve the full ten years.
Comment by hit and run victim Tuesday, May 23, 06 @ 10:36 am
Still there is the obvious problems with automating law enforcement. Officers are rational (at least in a generalized sense of the word) and can act with discretion when issuing tickets in the first place. If an officer sees you running a red light with no cross traffic but also sees the vehicle about to rear-end you, the officer has the discretion not to write that ticket in the first place. The auto-enforcement will issue the ticket thereby forcing the driver to utilize their resources in justifying their actions. Human reasoning often beats out automated response.
Comment by Gish Tuesday, May 23, 06 @ 10:50 am
Which former top aide to Gov. is now a lobbyist for the photo enforcement industry?
Comment by Paul Simon Museum Guy Tuesday, May 23, 06 @ 11:12 am
Big brother issues aside. I used to live in Arlington, VA. The cameras were in both Virginia and in DC. Last I checked, Virginia is letting their 10-year-old law allowing municipalities to use red light cameras to sunset. Mid-Atlantic AAA no longer supports red light cameras in the District because they have little to do with safety and everything to do with revenue. Typically half of all the revenue collected goes to big contactors like Lockheed who install and maintain the cameras. I have read that while side impact crashes have been reduced, rear impact crashes have gone up significantly. DC had refund money from tickets collected from a camera at a light by Union Station that had no YELLLOW! It went straight from green to red.
I know, I would personally speed through intersections with cameras because I did not want to be caught with slamming my brakes or getting a ticket. Obviously, not the safest thing to do if you factor in emergency vehicles and pedestrians trying to get through. I have also seen people use those license plate covers that block photos but can still be read if you are directly behind the vehicle.
Here are two good articles about DC’s experience:
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/001/078ftoqz.asp
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/03/AR2005100301844.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/03/AR2005100301844_2.html
Comment by Conor Tuesday, May 23, 06 @ 11:30 am
It seems fine, but How long before they start going after other violations with these cameras?
Comment by Wumpus Tuesday, May 23, 06 @ 11:55 am
I think this is more big brother. The police can catch redlight violators. This is no more than a revenue grenerating tool. Taxation w/o representation…………
Comment by Dr John Friday, Jun 2, 06 @ 6:32 pm