Exposing The Truth About Red Light Camera Programs
The National Motorists Association has filed a public records request with Orlando, Florida in order to investigate the city’s red-light camera enforcement program, the largest in the state of Florida. With the active support of the Florida Civil Rights Association and NMA Florida State Activist Henry Stowe, the NMA will be exploring program details such as:
- The contract between the City of Orlando and Lasercraft, Inc. (the camera company)
- Accident, injury and fatality statistics at all intersections within the Orlando city limits
- Identification of intersections with red-light cameras, existing and proposed
- Traffic studies of red-light camera intersections, including details about approach speed, traffic volume, yellow light duration, and accidents.
- Number of red-light citations issued since the program began, and the number of tickets that were dismissed, or were not paid
- Categorization of infractions by red-light running, right-turns-on-red, and stops over the stop line (without proceeding through the intersection)
- Yellow light duration settings of the cameras, and how those settings are determined
- An accounting of payments made to Lasercraft for the installation and operation of the cameras
- An accounting of how revenue obtained via the red-light cameras is being spent by the City.
Just as taxpayers have the right to know the details of why they are being taxed, and how those funds are expended, Orlando motorists should understand the inner workings of their city’s photo enforcement program. Key questions about the program need to be answered and shared with Orlando residents and other communities where ticket cameras are either installed, or are under consideration. That is the goal of the NMA through this Freedom of Information Act request.
The FOX TV affiliate in Orlando ran this story about our FOIA request, prominently mentioning the NMA, and putting our efforts in proper perspective. Be sure to watch the embedded video segment. Kudos to Henry Stowe for arranging for the coverage, and for his cameo appearance. Henry was also instrumental in organizing the November 14th red-light camera protest that is mentioned at the end of the FOX piece.
If your community has ticket cameras, and you want to force administrators to divulge the true story of how the program operates, who pays and who benefits, contact the National Motorists Association for guidance about the FOIA process. The most effective way to oppose ticket cameras is to make the public fully aware of the revenue motives of such programs.
