An Iowa lawmaker, concerned that traffic cameras are mainly used to generate revenue rather than keep roads and intersections safer, is asking state officials to do more research before installing the cameras.
The House Transportation Committee chairman has asked the Department of Transportation to collect at least three years of data before installing cameras to justify their use. Although he acknowledges the traffic safety benefits of the cameras, he states that he simply wants to ensure that they are used correctly as part of an effective state-wide traffic plan.
City officials in Cedar Rapids say that the installation of traffic cameras has always been to keep streets safer, not to generate revenue. They point to the fact that red-light citations were reduced by 60 percent in the first 7 months after the cameras were installed. Additionally, they hope the cameras help alert drivers that they are in an area with a high incidence of crashes, so they should drive more carefully.