The question of whether a rolling right-on-red violation is so dangerous that it should be enforced with a nearly $500 fine has been debated for some time. We now have the definitive answer and it is a resounding, "NO."
Let us look to one of the most highly enforced red light camera approaches in the area. Northbound Cedar at Mowry near NewPark Mall.
In a recent 3-year period there was just one accident at that approach, a minor, non-injury accident, which was not attributed to red light running. Has there ever been an accident attributed to red light running? Has there ever been an accident for a right-on-red violation? Yet massive enforcement is necessary ostensibly for safety reasons?
This one red light camera snaps photos of potential violations at the rate of 4,000 per year, a number which is not coming down but actually going up slightly. Newark Police Dept. reports that of the 4,161 potential violations captured by this camera last year, that it issued 2,195 citations and that over 99.2% are for right turning violations. Last month (Dec. 2012), of 210 citations issued, only 2 occurred from the left turn and 208 occurred from the right hand lane. None occurred in the through lane.
Over $1 million in fines annually just from this one camera (Newark has 4 cameras) to solve a non-existent problem? Seems excessive. Wouldn't the community be better served by leaving that money in the pockets of consumers to stimulate the economy? Better that than to levy this "back door tax" onto motorists in order to fund government not to mention enriching the camera vendor from Arizona.
Roger Jones
