Congressman Wants to Ban Red Light Cameras
Speed and red light cameras could be a thing of the past if Rep. Ed Perlmutter D-Golden gets his way.
The democratic U.S. representative introduced legislation earlier this month that would ban states and cities from using cameras to catch drivers speeding and disobeying traffic lights. Perlmutter argues that the cameras function solely as a revenue generator and that they don’t offer any significant enhancement to public safety. The bill is called the “Prohibited Automated Enforcement Act of 2015.”
“Police officers are the only sure way to apprehend seriously impaired, reckless or other dangerous drivers,” he wrote in a statement. “All of us are concerned with reducing accidents and reckless driving but it is not evident photo radar cameras improve highway safety, reduce accidents or improve traffic flow.”
It currently lacks a co-sponsor and the necessary support to move forward, but Perlmutter points to a study conducted by the University of Tennessee in 2013 that said the cameras don’t bring any kind of clear improvement in traffic safety.
Luke is an energetic automotive journalist who spends his time covering industry news and crawling the internet for the latest breaking story. When he isn't in the office, Luke can be found obsessively browsing used car listings, drinking scotch at his favorite bar and dreaming of what to drive next, though the list grows a lot faster than his bank account. He's always on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> looking for a good car conversation. Find Luke on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> and <A title="Luke on Google+" href="http://plus.google.com/112531385961538774338?rel=author">Google+</A>.
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Wow, real logic at work here, people. If cameras aren't doing anything to improve safety or cut costs why have them?