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Red light cameras would promote public safety

2 min read

To the editor:

The claims by some that “red light cameras” are an invasion of their privacy is a bogus argument. The issue really is one of public safety, enforcement of traffic laws and cost of enforcement. The objections made today are similar to those made when radar was first used for speed enforcement. Before radar the argument was that the police motorcycle was hidden being behind a billboard, etc

Every time we enter a retail store or in the parking lot we are on camera and being taped but have done nothing wrong. When we are on a public sidewalk and go to the ATM we are on camera and being taped and the same occurs when we go to our bank. The redlight camera, however, only goes on when the traffic light turns red and records the vehicle entering the intersection after the light is red.

The red light camera is an around- the-clock enforcement of traffic law that would be prohibitively costly if a police officer was full time at those intersections. In fact, their existence alone tends to bring better compliance with traffic laws and public safety.

For those that complain, I suspect they are individuals who look under their bed each night before retiring.

Barbara J. Kempe

Cape Coral