Concerns that companies installing and operating red light cameras could have incentives to put profits ahead of safety and accuracy are being voiced by a pro-consumer group. Some contracts require cities to guarantee payment ammounts each month, according to a report on a U.S. Public Interest Research Group study in the October 27, 2011, Virginian-Pilot. Other localities send half the money collected from ticketed red light runners to the camera companies.
As a car accident attorney, it pains me to see companies profiting excessivey from efforts to ensure people’s safety. Corporations should, of course, be paid for operating red light cameras, but they should not be able to hold communities hostage in exchange for making roads somewhat safer. City leaders where red light cameras are deployed should make it more clear to citizens when large percentages of ticket money goes to a corporation rther than he local government.
Though the U.S. PIRG study does not mention Hampton Roads cities such as Cesapeake, Newport News or Virginia Beach by name, I’m willing to bet at least one i among the 700 communities discovered to be paying a large portion of red light camera fees to an for-profit company. Wouldn’t it make more sense for governments to hire local electricians to maintain the cameras and to keep revenue generated from red light tickets here?
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