Vorpe 1

Jeffrey Vorpe

English 1201

Professor Pedrotti

25 May 2019

Traffic Light Cameras – Making Streets Safer or Making Municipalities Richer?

Recently, there has been plenty of debate when it comes to whether traffic light cameras

should be allowed. Some have even claimed that they are only used to gain revenue for the

municipalities in which they exist. I have heard plenty of the discussions about these cameras,

but I have wondered if there really was evidence really to back up the arguments against traffic

light cameras. Was there something there behind the positions that people have taken against

traffic light cameras or were they simply complaining because they had been cited due to a

traffic light camera?

That all changed for me recently when I had a first-hand experience with a traffic light

camera. I recently received a notice from Montgomery County stating that I had been caught

breaking the law through their use of a traffic light camera. It was impossible to dispute their

claim as I was looking at a picture of my car with a close-up shot of my rear license plate which

could easily be read. As this was the first time something like this has ever happened to me and

considering I have been a very good driver with a clean record for many years, I was interested

to read the fine print of the letter. It was at that point when I read that all I needed to do was pay

a fine. No points would go on my driving record and my insurance company would not be

notified that this had occurred. This experience piqued my interest as to whether traffic light
 Vorpe 2

cameras truly make – or are even intended to make – the streets safer or are they mainly used as

a source of revenue?

As I stated above, I will admit that I have had serious doubt as to whether traffic light

cameras are mainly used to keep the streets safer particularly after my experience. I certainly

think that the potential is there for the cameras to make intersections and streets safer, but

because there seemingly aren’t any long-term consequences to these citations aside from how

you are going to pay some of your bills, I am currently leaning toward the idea that traffic light

cameras are used mainly as a way for municipalities to take in revenue.

The problem is, I am coming to that conclusion based only on my personal experience,

and I know that I can’t make an educated judgment without more closely examining this issue.

That analysis will include studying academic journals to truly look at both sides of the issue to

discover not just how much money municipalities take in as a result of traffic light cameras, but

the extent of potential good which comes as a result of the very existence of the cameras.

Knowing that the camera is there taking pictures, do drivers really slow down at those locations,

potentially reducing the running of red lights and reckless driving? Or does the fear of getting

busted for being in the intersection when the light goes from yellow to red cause them to slam on

their brakes, possibly leading to accidents involving drivers behind them? To really come to a

well-rounded conclusion, I will have to look at statistics and studies involving traffic light

cameras in different states and cities from around this country as well as others, from small cities

to enormous metropolises, in order to find out the truth and decide where I truly stand on the

issue.