By Lauren Fix, Car Coach Reports
Does the infrastructure bill have another hidden surveillance initiative?
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg uses the infrastructure spending plan to promote speed cameras nationwide!
The DOT has received $6 billion to issue grants to help cities and towns with road safety due to the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill that Congress passed. This sounds great at first. We find the real truth buried on Page 32 of the National Roadway Safety Strategy.
The US Department of Transportation’s National Roadway Safety Strategy includes promoting speed cameras in cities and towns as a proven safety countermeasure, a part of the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill that Congress passed.
So what does all this mean?
The law creates a new Safe Streets and Roads for All program and claims to protect drivers and all road users, including people who walk, bike, or use a wheelchair.
Buttigieg also said the strategy represents a comprehensive plan to reduce injuries and deaths on America’s roadways significantly. This sounds good for everyone. No one wants road deaths.
Under the plan, one of DOT’s key departmental actions includes providing “noteworthy practices for re-engineering roads to slow down vehicles rather than relying primarily on enforcement to manage speeding” and a goal to “promote speed safety cameras as a proven safety countermeasure.”
Buried on Page 32 of the National Roadway Safety Strategy, items #2 & #3
Key Departmental Actions to Enable Safer Speeds
- Develop and improve the information available for setting speed limits through Proven Safety Countermeasures and the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices, providing a range of methodologies depending on the context of the roadway. Clarify the applicability and correct use of key criteria used in setting speed limits.
- Revise and provide noteworthy practices for re-engineering roads to slow down vehicles rather than relying primarily on enforcement to manage speeding. Promote speed safety cameras as a proven safety countermeasure.
In Texas, several years ago, the owner of the car got an automated cam ticket in the mail. No proof of who was driving was required. They have been outlawed.
The Bottom Line
I am not suggesting that speeding, lack of paying attention while driving, and poor driving skills are good. There are better solutions that don’t take your tax dollars.
The UK and Germany have traffic cameras in city centers, but there has been pushback in many states here in the US.
Is this about speeders, or is this really about surveillance cameras to track all drivers?
Safety is great, as long as the government is in charge. Let’s not fix aging bridges and roadways. Instead, let’s generate more revenue for the government!
Big Brother wants to watch where you go every day, track that data, and potentially sell it.
Here is a way to make the roads safer, re-testing every driver every ten years. It brings in revenues, helps bad drivers, creates more jobs, and reduces deaths and insurance rates. That makes more sense!
Lauren Fix, The Car Coach®, is a nationally recognized automotive expert, analyst, author, and television host. A trusted car expert, Lauren provides an insider’s perspective on a wide range of automotive topics and aspects, energy, industry, consumer news, and safety issues.
Lauren is the CEO of Automotive Aspects and the Editor-in-Chief of Car Coach Reports, a global automotive news outlet. She is an automotive contributor to national and local television news shows, including Fox News, Fox Business, CNN International, The Weather Channel, Inside Edition, Local Now News, Community Digital News, and more. Lauren also co-hosts a regular show on ABC.com with Paul Brian called “His Turn – Her Turn” and hosts regular radio segments on USA Radio – DayBreak.
Lauren is honored to be inducted into the Women’s Transportation Hall of Fame and a Board Member of the Buffalo Motorcar Museum and Juror / President for the North American Car, Utility & Truck of the Year Awards.
Check her out on Twitter and Instagram @LaurenFix.
