Walker: Automated enforcement, red light cameras not the answers for traffic safety

Regarding the recent story, “Roadmap of State Highway Safety Laws highlights missing safety laws,” there are many engineering improvements, correct traffic laws and enforcement procedures that can enhance traffic safety.

These do NOT include automated enforcement with speed and red light cameras. Those expensive cameras are operated by for-profit companies and require the traffic safety engineering parameters of the speed limits and traffic light timing be deliberately mis-engineered to produce enough tickets given to mostly safe drivers for the total fines to even cover the high camera costs.

If speed and red light cameras ticketed only hazardous drivers, no one would object. But then there would be no speed and red light cameras because they would lose too much money, and without profits the ticket camera industry would cease to exist.

James C. Walker is a life member of the National Motorists Association, and board member and executive director of the National Motorists Association Foundation based in Ann Arbor, Mich.

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