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A
report
released
today by attorneys involved in a legal battle against
San Diego,
California's red light camera program demonstrates how
profit is the
primary motivation for camera operators. House Majority
Leader Dick
Armey released a study in May that
concluded the concern for profit has kept cities from
implementing
proper engineering solutions to problem intersections.
"The evidence is clear," said Armey. "The concern for
safety has given
way to a concern for profit. It's all there in black and
white."
Attorneys with the "Red Light Camera Defense Team"
obtained thousands
of confidential documents from the city's red light
camera contractor
during court proceedings.
A memo found among these documents outlines the
selection criteria used
to determine placement of red light cameras in the city.
"High traffic
volume" is the first criterion listed. Heavy volume
ensures a steady
stream of profits. According to the document, cameras
are only to be
used where the yellow signal time is "less than 4
seconds." In other
words, find intersections where people don't have enough
time to stop.
Putting cameras at locations with high volume and
inadequate yellow
time is not related to safety.
Another document sheds light on the concern with yellow
times greater
than 4 seconds. The city increased the yellow time at
the intersection
of Mission Bay Drive and Grand Avenue from 3.0 seconds
to 4.7 seconds
on July 28, 2000. The document shows an immediate and
decisive 90
percent decline in the number of violations recorded.
"They've been caught red-handed," said Armey. "The deck
is stacked
against the driving public. It's fundamentally unfair."
San Diego officials recently suspended the city's red
light camera
program after court proceedings forced the admission
that camera
sensors were being manipulated. Because the local police
are not
involved in ticket issuance, they had no means of
verifying whether
tickets were being issued fairly or not.
"They've hung an out of order sign on these Orwellian
cash machines,"
said Armey. "Now it's time to pull the plug for good."
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