Transportation Funding Commission Suggests Use of Red Light Cameras

Trying to beat that yellow light through the intersection? Don't forget to smile for the camera. 

Red light cameras, which have been used in Philadelphia since 2005, could be legal throughout Pennsylvania if the General Assembly acts upon a recommendation made by Gov. Tom Corbett’s Transportation Funding Advisory Commission. The 30-member commission submitted a complete report to Corbett Aug. 1, including recommendations for generating more than $2.7 billion in new, recurring revenue during the next five years. 

The potential revenue from red light cameras is not included in the $2.7 billion forecast by the report's recommendations. 

Barry Schoch, state Secretary of Transportation and commission chairman, said the cameras are a "safety modernization." 

"We want to have the enabling legislation to expand it statewide, so (the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation or) PennDOT can take a look at the high use areas where the cameras would be most effective,” he said. 

Schoch said PennDOT would consult with local government before deciding where to place the red light cameras. 

However, critics of red light cameras say the systems are more about making money than keeping drivers safe, and argue that better ways exist to deal with high-risk intersections. 

“The simplest change is to lengthen the yellow light signal at the intersection,” said Gary Biller, executive director of the National Motorists Association, which defends the rights of drivers. “There are studies that show increasing the yellow lights by as little as half a second can make intersections safer.” 

Biller said red light cameras also erode the constitutionally guaranteed right to due process, since drivers cannot cross-examine a camera if they challenge the ticket in court. 

In Pennsylvania, red light cameras are only legal in Philadelphia, where drivers are liable for a $25 fine and points on their license if they are caught running a red light by a police officer. If caught by one of the city’s red light cameras, the fine increases to $100 though no points are assessed. The Philadelphia pilot program was started in 2005 and 19 intersections have cameras, according to AAA. 

The Philadelphia cameras photograph a vehicle's license plate, and a ticket is sent to the registered owner, regardless of who was driving the vehicle at the time of the infraction.

The commission suggested that the General Assembly pass “enabling legislation,” an important first step. The Federal Highway Administration, or FHWA, would have to sign off on the location of the cameras.

Schoch said PennDOT would use the cameras only in the interest of safety, not revenue. 

“The issue is motorist safety and pedestrian safety,” he said. “There is a proven relationship between automated red light enforcement and a reduction in violations.” 

State Rep. Rick Geist, R-Blair, chairman of the House Transportation Committee, said expanding the use of red light cameras was a “non-starter” for the Legislature and questioned why the issue was even included in a report focused on generating more revenue for transportation. 

“The moment that you even allude to the idea that red light cameras are for revenue, you’ve defeated the purpose of the cameras,” Geist said.

He stressed that enforcement of red light violations should not be a question of revenue, even though many cities see the cameras as a way to increase funds. 

The Pennsylvania State Police do not have an official position on the use of red light cameras and are studying the issue, said Anthony Manetta, a spokesman for the state police. 

According to AAA, which represents the interests of drivers, monitoring by law enforcement officers is the most effective way to curtail red light running, but the organization supports red light cameras to increase safety, not to generate revenue. 

Prior to the state of Virginia approving the use of red light cameras in 2007, a study conducted in that state found that the use of red light cameras actually increased the number of rear-end accidents by 27 percent, as drivers were more likely to slam on the brakes to avoid a ticket. 

But a 2008 study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a national nonprofit educational organization dedicated to reducing vehicle crashes, concluded that red light cameras had a positive impact on driver safety. 

That study looked at red light cameras in Philadelphia and concluded that longer yellow lights reduced red light violations by 36 percent, but adding red light cameras further cut violations by 96 percent. 

In the past four years, the number of communities with red light cameras has increased from about 150 to more than 500 nationwide, said Biller. There are about 30,000 incorporated communities in the country. 

According to the FHWA, in the United States, red light cameras are used in more than 540 communities. But some cities, including Los Angeles, have removed the cameras, because they have not produced enough revenue to offset the cost of operating them, as they are run by a private company.