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For Immediate
Release
10/25/11
Senate Approves Bill Permitting Cities to Use Red-Light
Cameras to Improve Traffic Safety
HARRISBURG – Nineteen cities across Pennsylvania would be authorized to enact
ordinances to use red-light cameras to improve traffic safety at intersections
under
Senate Bill 595, approved today by the state Senate.
"Red-light running killed an estimated 676 people in 2009 and injured another
113,000 across the United States, according to a
recent report
from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety," said Senate Majority Leader
Dominic Pileggi (R-9), the bill's prime sponsor. "My legislation will make
Pennsylvania roads safer, and it will save lives."
Senate Bill 595 permits Pennsylvania cities with a population greater than
18,000 and a full-time police force to install red-light cameras. Cameras are
already used in Philadelphia; this bill would permit Pittsburgh, Scranton and 17
third-class cities to use the cameras, if approved by the local city council.
A red-light violation under this program would result in a civil fine of $100
unless a lesser amount is set by local ordinance. No driver's license points
will be issued for violations, and violations cannot be considered in ratings
for car insurance.
No city can use the fines to enhance its general budget. All funds generated
by the program will go to the state's Motor License Fund and will be used by the
Department of Transportation (PennDOT) for transportation safety projects. Half
of the fines will be used for local projects in the cities that implement the
systems; the other half will go to municipalities across the state.
Additionally, total collections in a particular city are capped at five percent
of that city’s annual budget.
Approximately 500 cities in 25 states now use red-light cameras. According to
the report from IIHS, an independent, nonprofit organization focused on reducing
deaths and injuries from traffic crashes, there was a 24% reduction in
fatalities caused by drivers running red lights in cities where cameras are
installed.
The IIHS estimates that 150 lives have been saved over the past five years
just in the largest 14 cities with red-light cameras.
The legislation also makes more records available to the public under
Pennsylvania's new Open Records Law, including the number of violations in a
given city and annual reports required from any city that used red-light
cameras.
Before installing any cameras, cities will be required to consult with
PennDOT.
Senate Bill 595, approved 35 to 14, now moves to the State House for
consideration.
More information about state issues is available at Senator Pileggi's web
site, www.SenatorPileggi.com, on
Facebook at
www.facebook.com/SenatorPileggi, or on Twitter at
twitter.com/SenatorPileggi.
CONTACT:
Erik Arneson
(717) 787-4712
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