The return of Red Light Cameras, but to catch speeders? (Opinion)

Why not?

I posed the question this morning and did a quick rant for Alexa after the broadcast. The bottom line is that we have the technology to better enforce traffic laws without infringing on anyone's freedom. The problem with the Red Light Cameras, that now Senator Declan O'Scanlon single-handedly eliminated, was that the technology was not good enough to separate law breakers from innocent drivers making right turns on red. The emotion about the tickets being a 'money grab' by local towns was also very appealing to many people. But the best way to avoid your government grabbing your money through tickets is to...well, obey the law.

Will speed cameras take away from some of the expected discretion that law enforcement can use to get you out of a ticket? Yes. But more importantly, the use of cutting edge technology frees up officers to do more important tasks of finding and catching criminals and focusing on reckless drivers. If we are going to have a discussion about the implementation of speed cameras then first thing to do is raise the speed limits on most of our roads to keep up with traffic patterns and the natural use of the roads. Once you do that, there should be no reason outside of a medical emergency to race down the highways.

Bill Spadea is on the air weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m., talkin’ Jersey, taking your calls at 1-800-283-1015. Tweet him @NJ1015 or @BillSpadea. The opinions expressed here are solely those of Bill Spadea.

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