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Speed Safety Cameras Near Schools Make Sense Speed Safety Cameras Near Schools Make Sense
(1 day later)
There is a bill before the New York State Legislature to expand the number and scope of speed safety cameras in New York City school zones and, amazingly, it faces considerable opposition.There is a bill before the New York State Legislature to expand the number and scope of speed safety cameras in New York City school zones and, amazingly, it faces considerable opposition.
How could an initiative that would protect more than a million New York City students fail to be a slam dunk? According to Albany politicians, constituents complain that speed safety cameras just aren’t fair. At least that’s what they told me, my oldest son and dozens of other New Yorkers when we went to lobby them recently on behalf of dead loved ones.How could an initiative that would protect more than a million New York City students fail to be a slam dunk? According to Albany politicians, constituents complain that speed safety cameras just aren’t fair. At least that’s what they told me, my oldest son and dozens of other New Yorkers when we went to lobby them recently on behalf of dead loved ones.
While it seems absurd to argue that it’s not fair to get a speeding ticket when you’re speeding — in a school zone, no less — the mistaken thinking goes like this:While it seems absurd to argue that it’s not fair to get a speeding ticket when you’re speeding — in a school zone, no less — the mistaken thinking goes like this:
Automated enforcement is simply a “revenue-grab,” a way for the government to pad its coffers on the backs of hard-working citizens traveling from here to there, just trying to get by.Automated enforcement is simply a “revenue-grab,” a way for the government to pad its coffers on the backs of hard-working citizens traveling from here to there, just trying to get by.
Wrong. The fact is, drivers caught speeding by a speed safety camera are issued a $50 ticket, versus the up-to-$688 citation given by a police officer. More important, because they are so effective at deterring speeding — 80 percent of drivers ticketed once do not get ticketed again in the same area within a year — violations have dropped an average of 63 percent where speed safety cameras already exist. Put simply, when citations drop, revenue drops. Speed safety cameras are designed to bankrupt themselves.Wrong. The fact is, drivers caught speeding by a speed safety camera are issued a $50 ticket, versus the up-to-$688 citation given by a police officer. More important, because they are so effective at deterring speeding — 80 percent of drivers ticketed once do not get ticketed again in the same area within a year — violations have dropped an average of 63 percent where speed safety cameras already exist. Put simply, when citations drop, revenue drops. Speed safety cameras are designed to bankrupt themselves.
Nor are speed safety cameras, as some opponents claim, a trap, sneakily placed and prone to malfunction.Nor are speed safety cameras, as some opponents claim, a trap, sneakily placed and prone to malfunction.
Indeed, the bill stipulates that signs alerting drivers to the cameras be posted within 300 feet of a school zone, offering plenty of warning. And the cameras, which are highly sophisticated, carefully calibrated machines, are not even activated unless a vehicle is traveling more than 10 miles above the speed limit.Indeed, the bill stipulates that signs alerting drivers to the cameras be posted within 300 feet of a school zone, offering plenty of warning. And the cameras, which are highly sophisticated, carefully calibrated machines, are not even activated unless a vehicle is traveling more than 10 miles above the speed limit.
Speed safety cameras don’t target certain people in certain places and they are not an invasion of privacy, as some opponents insist. They only record images of the rear of the speeding vehicle and its license plate and, unlike human officers, do not register the race, age, gender, socioeconomic status or behavior of the driver. They eliminate the concerns of big-brothering and profiling entirely.Speed safety cameras don’t target certain people in certain places and they are not an invasion of privacy, as some opponents insist. They only record images of the rear of the speeding vehicle and its license plate and, unlike human officers, do not register the race, age, gender, socioeconomic status or behavior of the driver. They eliminate the concerns of big-brothering and profiling entirely.
What about jobs? Will speed safety cameras put police officers out of work? Again, the answer is no. There is more than enough going on in New York City to keep officers busy. The New York Police Department’s own chief of transportation has said the additional cameras would only “support” and “supplement” their work.What about jobs? Will speed safety cameras put police officers out of work? Again, the answer is no. There is more than enough going on in New York City to keep officers busy. The New York Police Department’s own chief of transportation has said the additional cameras would only “support” and “supplement” their work.
Lastly, opponents put forth that, by increasing the number of school zones in which speed cameras could operate — and extending the hours, days and expanses they could cover — speeding would be enforced practically all the time, in almost the entire city.Lastly, opponents put forth that, by increasing the number of school zones in which speed cameras could operate — and extending the hours, days and expanses they could cover — speeding would be enforced practically all the time, in almost the entire city.
Oh, how I and my son, whose best friend was killed in 2013 when a reckless driver jumped the curb and crushed him under his S.U.V., wish that were true. But, yet again, this is simply not so. The bill would only enable the city to increase the number of school zones covered by speed safety cameras from 140 to 750, still protecting only about a third of the city’s schools and a small fraction of the city in general. Oh, how I and my son, whose best friend was killed in 2013 when a reckless driver jumped the curb and crushed him under his S.U.V., wish that were true. But, yet again, this is simply not so. The bill would only enable the city to increase the number of school zones covered by speed safety cameras from 140 to 290, still protecting only about a third of the city’s schools and a small fraction of the city in general.
Some cold numbers: Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of injury-related death for children in New York City and speeding causes more fatal crashes than drunken drivers and drivers distracted by their cellphones combined. A pedestrian is eight times more likely to be killed when hit by a car going 30 miles an hour than by a car going 20 miles an hour and up to 85 percent of people hit by a car going 40 miles an hour die.Some cold numbers: Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of injury-related death for children in New York City and speeding causes more fatal crashes than drunken drivers and drivers distracted by their cellphones combined. A pedestrian is eight times more likely to be killed when hit by a car going 30 miles an hour than by a car going 20 miles an hour and up to 85 percent of people hit by a car going 40 miles an hour die.
Pedestrian injuries in school zones covered by speed safety cameras have dropped by 23.3 percent. But sadly only 7 percent of New York City schools are currently protected by speed safety cameras. Ninety-three percent are not.Pedestrian injuries in school zones covered by speed safety cameras have dropped by 23.3 percent. But sadly only 7 percent of New York City schools are currently protected by speed safety cameras. Ninety-three percent are not.
Despite the facts and figures, there remain powerful players who could scuttle this lifesaving initiative before the legislature’s session ends this month.Despite the facts and figures, there remain powerful players who could scuttle this lifesaving initiative before the legislature’s session ends this month.
I know speeding is not just a problem around schools, it is a public health crisis that steals far too many lives — young, old and in-between. Adding more speed safety cameras in school zones would calm traffic citywide, train drivers to obey the law and protect all New Yorkers.I know speeding is not just a problem around schools, it is a public health crisis that steals far too many lives — young, old and in-between. Adding more speed safety cameras in school zones would calm traffic citywide, train drivers to obey the law and protect all New Yorkers.