Red Light Cameras
Proposition Paper
Violeta Gonzalez

Introduction
Red light cameras have been created to decrease car accidents and increase the safety at intersections. The red light cameras have increased so it can be easy to enforce citizens to not pass a red light at intersections. More than 400 cities in United States have enforced red light cameras. But yet there have been disadvantages and advantages toward red light cameras.

Red Light Cameras
A red light camera is a camera that photographs a vehicle when it runs a red light an intersection. It has been in use since 1986. It becomes active once the signal light turns red. Photographs are taken from front and rear of the vehicle. Once the camera captures a photograph of a person passing a red light a citation is sent home through mail to the registered owner of the vehicle.
Disadvantages of having red light cameras are increasing rear-end accidents, ticket recipients are not notified, driver not being identified and invasion of privacy. Rear-accidents are being increased because it makes the driver in the front hit the brake once the light is yellow and the car behind it has not enough time to brake. Most drivers are scared to run a red light and don’t want to get a ticket.
Another reason is that recipients aren’t being notified as soon as possible. The government sends the ticket as first class. They assume that the driver gets it. The case may be that the driver never got it or the government assumes that the driver did not want to pay for it. So then a warrant is issued without driver knowing anything about it. In my opinion, I think that it’s a big issue when the driver is not notified. What if months go by without the person knowing that they had passed a red light and tickets start accumulating? What’s going to happen in that case? Things like this should be thought through. Yes, the city, state and government are making money. But it’s not helping the society by piling them with tickets. It also makes the driver not defend themselves if months have passed and they can’t remember that they ran a red light. What if the photo was taken by mistake or the driver can’t be identified? The car may have been driven by someone else such as en employee, family member, or a friend. Sometimes or it can be hard to recall when incident like this had happened. For people who come up with ideas like this don’t think about what the disadvantages are or the cities who decide to actually put red light cameras.
Red light cameras are considered invasion of privacy. Cameras record everything. Yes, we never have privacy on the street, but we can’t have privacy in our own car? I would really hate that every intersection I pass there’s always a camera. They are basically all up in my business. People who run these cameras are allowed to see everything everyone does. But this would only work if cameras are 100% accurate in the image. There can be a probability. Red light cameras do not stop accidents or make accidents to stop occurring. Drivers aren’t perfect at driving. An accident always has to occur. Cameras are only put out there to witness the accident or to witness drivers pass a red light not to improve drivers at their ability of driving.
In my opinion I think red light cameras are put up at intersections for the government to make money. Think about it, how many people run the red lights every day? It could be either they are in a rush, texting, or just don’t pay attention to their surroundings.
But on the bright side, red light cameras have advantages. Studies have proven that red light cameras have decreased accidents that caused injury or deaths.
The national coalition for safer roads, have stated that the red light cameras have not only helped in capturing people running red lights but other criminal activity. For example collisions, homicide and burglary investigations. I feel like these cameras can be helped in so many ways. I would recommend that cities put up cameras wherever criminal activity occurs more. I think it would make investigations easier to solve. We would not have to need witnesses because the cameras are there to prove it. Statements sometimes aren’t accurate from witnesses. Instead of wasting money on using cameras for red lights, better quality cameras should be use for criminal activity in general. Another thing we could do for people who cause an accident for passing the red light should get points on their license without exceptions. People know that once that light turns yellow it means to slow down. It does not mean increase your speed because the light is turning red. If they want to get a lawyer fight about their issue of running a red light go ahead. Just like in drinking and driving. If you are caught driving with alcohol in your system either your license is suspended or you get points on your license. We should run the same rules across the board that has to do with harming someone else’s safety.

Conclusion
In conclusion, red light cameras can be affective and at the same time it can just cause a chaos within the departments and the citizens. If the government wants these cameras to work they shouldn’t worry about making money instead they should worry about everyone’s safety.

References
(n.d.). 17 reasons to ban red light cameras Retrieved from http://bancams.com/get-the-facts/17-reasons/
(n.d.). Benefits of Red Light Cameras Retrieved from http://www.atsol.com/our-work/benefits-of-red-light-cameras/
Barry, Keith. Red light cameras can stop crime, say red light cameras advocacy group Retrieved from http://www.wired.com/autopia/2013/03/red-light-cameras-stop-crime/