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Georgia Cities Newspaper
Traffic accidents are the number one cause of death for Georgians ages 0-34, and finding efficient ways to enforce traffic laws and correct reckless driving behavior is one of the best ways that law enforcement can protect the public. Not surprisingly, intersections are some of the most frequent locations for serious accidents and most of the time such crashes result from the failure of one of more drivers to comply with the turn signal.
One of the very first cities to install automated cameras was Decatur, where a camera enforces traffic at the busy intersection of Scott Boulevard and Clairmont Road.
“The other city commissioners and I would compare notes on who had witnessed the most cars running through the intersection at one time,” said Decatur Commissioner Fred Boykin. “It was ridiculous, something needed to be done,”
Since the enactment of state legislation that authorizes local governments to install and operate red light traffic cameras in 2001, approximately two dozens cities across the state have invested in programs that have dramatically improved safety at intersections. The cameras take pictures of the license plates of cars that have illegally entered intersections after the signal has turned red. Violators are then sent notice by mail that they owe a civil penalty (which is capped at $70) and a photograph showing their license plate in the intersection where they ran the red light.
The citation is not a criminal penalty, and no points are assigned to a violator’s license. Drivers who weren’t driving their cars at the time the violation occurred or who wish to raise another valid defense are allowed to do so in municipal court. Experience indicates that when faced with the photograph proving their violation, most drivers comply with the notice and pay for their violation. More importantly however, the cameras succeed in changing the behavior of the motoring public; as the public becomes aware that the cameras are in place, the number of violations starts to decline.
The data reports from cities tell an impressive tale. In Tifton, the city installed a traffic camera at the beginning of 2007. The number of accidents dropped from 793 in 2006 to 581 in 2007 and accidents with injuries in Tifton dropped 27 percent after their intersection camera installation. The City of Snellville is bisected by two heavily traveled highways, US 78 and GA 124. The city installed cameras at three busy intersections on those roads in 2007. Comparative data between 2007 and 2006 at those intersections showed decreases in accidents of 25 percent, 36 percent and 64 percent respectively. Law enforcement professionals see the cameras as a way to enforce traffic laws without endangering officers. Frank Rotondo, executive director of the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, commented during one debate that, “sending officers into intersections to chase violators is dangerous both to the officer and the public, having the cameras is a powerful tool for law enforcement.”
Unfortunately, the red light camera program does not have much support in the Georgia General Assembly. House Bill 77, aimed at making it more difficult to install automated enforcement cameras, was passed in the 2008 legislative session. The new law requires cities to go through an approval process with the Georgia Department of Transportation for both new and existing cameras and to prove to DOT not only that the cameras are necessary for safety but that they are the only alternative. Some public critics of the cameras program have complained about privacy concerns. However, since the cameras don’t take pictures of drivers, merely license plates, those concerns have largely been addressed.
The most controversial feature of the red light camera program with members of the General Assembly revolves around revenue. The civil penalties have generated revenue for some cities, although Decatur has operated its camera at a loss since its installation and has had to subsidize its operation with general tax funds. Most cities that have realized any revenue over the cost of maintaining the cameras have reinvested those funds in public safety. According to Marietta Fire Chief Jackie Gibbs, “funds generated by the red light cameras were used to purchase life saving equipment that our fire department uses to respond to traffic accidents.”
The City of Alpharetta rolled back its property taxes to an amount equal to the revenue generated by their cameras. GMA’s Ted Baggett, who works on public safety issues, is puzzled by the legislature’s hostility to the program.
“It is difficult to understand the legislature’s objection to the incidental revenue producing effect of some of the cameras, since they operate on the same rationale as other traffic fines,” he said. “If those drivers who cause accidents and create the necessity for public safety expenditures don’t pay for the cost of those services, the taxpayers will, including those who obey the law.”
Industry representatives have also pointed out as the public becomes aware of the cameras and the violations decrease, so does the revenue.
The red light cameras have the support of the public, though. State Senator Don Balfour, a traffic camera supporter whose district includes Snellville, conducted an informal poll of constituents on his e-mail newsletter that indicated that more than 70 percent of those surveyed supported the cameras. Even constituents that had received violations responded that they supported the program and that getting the citation had encouraged them to drive more safely.
Opinion polls in other states have likewise indicated strong support. A survey conducted in several major cities in Florida indicated that automated enforcement cameras are supported by anywhere from 82 percent to 89 percent of residents. As Georgia’s population continues to grow and traffic congestion increases, accidents will continue to claim lives. Despite hostility from some legislators, municipal officials will likely continue to look for creative and cost effective ways to address local public safety needs; so far traffic cameras are proving to be one of the best.
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