Sunday, Feb. 13, 2011 | 2:03 a.m.
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Regarding the Las Vegas Sun’s Feb. 5 story about proposals by police to install red-light cameras:
Our state lawmakers should approve the use of red-light cameras now. It has been a matter of record over the past few decades that red-light cameras, used on streets and highways elsewhere in America, save thousands of lives a year. In the meantime, husbands, wives and children have been injured, maimed, crippled, paralyzed or killed by people running red lights in Nevada.
The old argument — by groups such as the Best Highway Safety Practices Institute — that a traffic camera invades a person’s privacy is nonsense. All of us are on camera every day. We are being watched in banks, convenience stores, grocery stores, government buildings, malls, parking lots, airports, restaurants, bars, schools, colleges and, yes, casinos. And that’s only a short list.
If a person runs a red light, the camera only takes a photo of the vehicle and license plate and the person is sent a citation. No harm, no foul. The driver ran the light, so the driver should man up and pay the ticket.
Many law enforcement agencies in the United States agree that red-light cameras save lives and free up officers for other serious crimes. The police can’t be everywhere but the cameras can always watch our deadly intersections.
In addition, the money collected from the red-light offender goes into city coffers to help pay the bills. It’s a win-win situation.
It’s a no-brainer, folks. Red-light cameras plus the threat of a traffic citation equals saved lives.
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