MIAMI-DADE RED LIGHT CAMERAS: Locations, News, Laws, Opponents...

RED-LIGHT CAMERAS: BIG BROTHER, SAFETY MEASURE, OR MONEY GRAB? Red Light Cameras in Collier County, FL. South Florida politicians are rapidly approving the installation of red-light cameras at traffic lights.  They claim it is to make the streets safer. Owners of vehicles caught on camera running red lights will be fined. Many Americans see the red-light cameras as a money grab scheme by government officials to make up for high budget deficits and falling property-tax revenues. There is also the concern of Big Brother’s power grab. RED LIGHT CAMERA LOCATIONS - Miami-Dade County and here. - City of Miami, MAP (Spanish) - Doral - Broward, MAP - Ft. Lauderdale - Naples (MAP) COST Miami-Dade plans to install more red light cameras at a cost of $25 million. Robert Williams from the Miami-Dade Public Works Department said that “an area the size of the county should warrant cameras at about 250 signal approaches in unincorporated locations, each costing $70,000 to $100,000.” Who will benefit? According to Miami Today News, “a contract is struck with a [camera] system vendor, in which the vendor will absorb all associated costs. The county plans to take this approach, eliminating all up-front expenses”, but according to the new state law “Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Act” of the $158 fine, “the county would retain $75, with $70 to the state general fund, $10 to trauma centers and $3 to the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis. Miami-Dade would use its receipts to cover installation costs, Mr. Williams said.” Camera Vendor: American Traffic Solutions (ATS)
LAWS & GUIDES State Law: - 4/23/2010: On a 77-33 vote, the Florida House passed the authorization bill HB325, the Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Act, authorizing the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, a county, or a municipality to use a traffic infraction detector (a.k.a. red light camera) to identify a motor vehicle that fails to stop at a traffic control signal steady red light. Check how your Florida Representatives voted. - 5/13/2010: RINO Governor Charlie Crist signed the bill legalizing red light cameras in Florida - 5/13/2010: HB325 became Florida Law, Chapter 2010-80 which amended these Florida Statutes: 316 (State Uniform Traffic Control), 318 (Disposition of Traffic Infractions), 321 (Highway Patrol), 322 (Drivers’ Licenses). Local Laws and Guides: - City of Miami regulation - Hialeah Red Light Guideline (“Red Means Stop”) - Surfside Red Light Guideline - Ft. Lauderdale Guide
OPPONENTS - Reasons To Oppose Red-Light Cameras - Red Light Camera Companies Exploit Victims to Push Florida Law - PhotoEnforced.com - National Motorists Association - Red-light cameras are unfair (12/24/2010): “Ted Hollander, a lawyer and part-owner of The Ticket Clinic who has offices in those cities, and said he has seen increased business since the red-light programs started. But he called the red-light cameras “totally unfair.” “In my opinion, the law violates many parts of our constitution,” Hollander said. “The way it is set up between the camera company and the city, in my opinion, it is illegal.” He said the red-light cameras violate the equal protection that is guaranteed by the constitution. “The notice given to those who receive a ticket is inadequate, and the contract that the cities have entered into with the camera company violates the [state] red-light camera law,” he said.” - STUDIES: Red-light cameras increase accidents - Fact Sheet: Red-Light Cameras - Cities shortened yellow light times to increase ticket camera profits - County shortened the timing of yellow lights in order to issue more tickets…and make more money - Stop Short Yellow Lights
NOTES TO PONDER - Are politicians depending solely on research prepared by red light camera vendors or government contractors interested in justifying camera-based traffic enforcement? - If the camera enforcement is not about money, shouldn’t the penalty be community service, etc.?
NEWS: (Updated by FactReal on July 13, 2011) - Red-Light Camera Ticketed Funeral Procession in Miami (7/6/2011) - Red Light Cameras Actually Cause Accidents (Video) (6/29/2011) - Little Revenue generated by red-light cameras in Fort Lauderdale (2/16/2011) - Challenges to the Red light cameras law (11/30/2010) - Rear-end collisions jump at red-light camera intersections in West Palm Beach (8/17/2010) - Pressure building over red-light cameras (8/17/2010) - Red-light cameras and short yellow-lights = increased rear-end collisions (5/27/2010) - Judge voids Aventura red light camera use (2/23/2010)

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