Guest Commentary: Red-light cameras aren't the answer : naplesnews.com

In response to the recent letters to the editor, I want to ensure my views on red-light cameras are accurately presented.

First and foremost, I am strongly against red-light runners and feel that the Sheriff's Office should do everything within its powers to safely prevent and enforce red-light violations.

When asked about red-light cameras at a Republican forum, I responded by stating that I was generally against red-light cameras because of the Big Brother approach to law enforcement, but would need to research the issue in order to make a more informed decision. Since conducting my research, I have determined that red-light cameras are not in the best interest of Collier County and the safety of its citizens.

Mark Strain's column in the April 18 Collier Citizen newspaper cites two major studies supporting this conclusion: a 57-month study by the Urban Transit Institute of North Carolina and a 72-month study by the Virginia Transportation Research Council state that traffic accidents increase up to 50 percent due to the use of these cameras.

Last month, the University of South Florida College of Public Health stated, "Rather than improving motorist safety, red-light cameras significantly increase crashes and are a ticket to higher insurance premiums." Other studies, including Winnipeg, Canada's city audit, showed a 58 percent increase in accidents.

A 2005 ruling from then-attorney general, now Gov. Charlie Crist states local red-light-camera ordinances violate Section 316.007 of Florida statutes. Crist indicated cameras could be installed, but no ticket could be issued. Current law requires "an officer enforcing the traffic law to personally observe or have personal knowledge of the particular infraction that serves as the basis for issuing the citation."

However, following the lead of other Florida cities, Collier County will have to exploit a loophole in the state law to enact local traffic ordinances allowing the use of surveillance cameras. This requires passing ordinances imposing non-moving violations, similar to parking tickets, policed by red-light cameras on county-owned or private property. Florida's Department of Transportation has previously raised objections about placing cameras on state highways, intersections and other rights of way, which preclude their use on U.S. 41.

Last year, the Minnesota Supreme Court delivered a unanimous decision striking down the legality of red-light cameras, because the program offered the accused fewer due-process protections and created a new type of crime, "owner liability for red-light violations where the owner neither required nor knowingly permitted the violation." More recently, the city of Minneapolis agreed to a $2.6 million settlement, forcing it to reimburse and expunge the records of 15,000 drivers previously cited by these cameras.

As a legal investigator, I clearly see the potential for lawsuits against the county and these cameras may ultimately cost the county more than it makes in fines.

Some believe the use of the red-light-camera systems are driven by their attraction as a revenue-generating tool, reportedly delivering an estimated $1 million per intersection annually. Regardless of the motives that compel their employment, the great majority of studies show a compromise in safety accompanies their use.

I have to agree with Collier County Commissioner Fred Coyle: We do have a red-light running epidemic in Collier County and something must be done to resolve it. This is the responsibility of the Sheriff's Office and its current administration is not dealing with it effectively.

Turning to a technological fix that tickets vehicles, rather than correcting the behavior of specific operators, is not the solution. This is not a difficult problem to resolve. Get in your vehicle and drive and you will see someone, many times several vehicles, run the red light. Ticket them!

Instead of using six-plus deputies hiding behind bushes running radar, the Sheriff's Office administration needs to spread them throughout the county to both deter and catch more violators. Additionally, implement measures effective in reducing red-light running while preventing accidents, including: increasing the yellow light display time; adding an all-red clearance interval; re-timing traffic signals; and increasing law-enforcement presence.

Based on my research, I am against the use of red-light cameras for safety reasons. Red-light-camera systems may deter some violators while certainly generating revenue for the county, but they will also compromise the safety of Collier County citizens. That's unacceptable, and we can do better. As your next sheriff I will aggressively attack the problem of red-light violators.