As a traffic cop, I’ve seen quite a few automobile accidents involving cars speeding through red lights. So when our police department was charged with the task to study the feasibility of using traffic cameras, I was all for it. Studies have shown that the red-light cameras act as a deterrent and the rate of accident due to people running red lights were reduced by asmuch as 30%. That is a significant improvement. Imagine the number of lives that these cameras have saved.




Red-light cameras could soon be coming to an intersection near you, as well. Numerous cities and metropolitan areas have considered using cameras to catch motorists who drive through red lights at major intersections. Use of cameras would not only help deter drivers from committing a dangerous driving action, but also raise much needed revenue for the city. Faced with a reduction in revenue from diminishing property taxes and othertraditional funding sources, many cities throughout the U.S have come to rely on these cameras as an alternative source of income. They have decided to install these cameras solely as a means to create revenue. I don’t necessarily agree with the idea of generating revenue this way, but the end does justify the means…especially when lives are at stake.




Revenue from red-light speeding tickets has been quite lucrative for many cities that currently use these cameras.From our own estimation, our city can expect to raise as much as $1 million from its system of five red light cameras. As an example,from May to July of this year, the neighboring city of Richardson amassed about $15,000 in revenue just from one camera alone. Some members of the community have argued that implementing these cameras would spawn abuse. I only hope that city law makers do not abuse the system by enacting traps to catch speeders in order to generate more revenue.




There are several firms that install and operate red-light camera systems. Mounted on a pole, the camera takes a photo of a vehicle’s license as it runs through a red light. Errant drivers are considered to have committed an ordinance violation and receive a notice of infraction and a $125 ticket in the mail. Much of the revenuefrom the ticket comes to the city. No points are placed against a driver’s license. But at $125 per ticket, it could really hurt the driver’s pocketbook. So the moral to the story is…stay safe, use caution, slow down and have a little patience while driving.