HB1772 - Missouri

Guy Midkiff said

Congressman Jones,

While I applaud your attempt at transparency on the red light camera issue, it does, unfortunately, not address the more serious issue of efficacy. For some background, I am a City Councilman in Washington, Missouri and was for red light cameras before I was against them. Initially, I was sold on red light cameras because I thought they were a resource that could save lives.

I have spent many hours researching the devices and my findings are troubling. ( I have a blog: http://guymidkiff.wordpress.com/ where most of my research can be found under "• Red Light Camera: Resource Page."

The primary argument for the devices, "safety", simply is not accurate. In every incident where entities have proclaimed miraculous increases in accident statistics, there has been significant evidence of bias and a flawed application of analytical processes. Municipalities have entered into unholy alliances with red light camera companies where greed and money have become the corner stone of their existence. Also, insurance companies - the usual genesis of statistical "studies," stand to add millions to their bottom lines, not to mention how much red light camera companies and municipalities can add to balance sheets and general revenue funds. Follow the money if you really want to know the truth about red light camera operations.

Your bill makes no mention of standards for camera installation and in fact there is no federal or state standard for intersection design criteria. In Washington, where we have two intersections with cameras, the yellow light length is 4.01 seconds - regardless of the approach speed. If anyone is serious about intersection safety then the first step is to match yellow light length with approach speeds.

If you look at data collected as a result of fatalities at intersections, what you will find is the real culprit for "deep red" light penetrations is caused by distraction and impairment. NO red light camera can stop this; they can only record the accident aftermath.

It is also interesting to note that rear end collisions increase dramatically as local drivers are trained to brake aggressively at the first hint of a yellow light. They will do anything to avoid a $100 ticket, and when automobiles with dissimilar braking capabilities brake aggressively, the results are often disastrous.

I sincerely hope you will consider light length standards as a bare bones minimum addition to your bill.

Sincerely yours,
Guy Midkiff
City Council, Ward III
Washington, Mo