Politics & Government

Could Red Light Cameras Return to Fairfax County?

Fairfax County officials are looking at the costs and benefits of a red light camera program to promote safety.

Fairfax County staff are researching the costs and benefits of bringing red light cameras back to Fairfax County after a nearly decade-long absence.

Fairfax County Board of Supervisors members asked staff Tuesday to study how much it would cost to bring back camera enforcement for select red lights in the county, and where cameras could be most effective.

A previous red light camera program, implemented at 10 intersections from 2002 to June 2005, was successful, but costly: .

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That figure, Supervisor Michael Frey (R-Sully), should indicate this isn't a move to generate more revenue, but instead, make roads safer. 

“That’s the point,” he said. “Raising revenue isn’t.”

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Frey’s renewed interest in the program was sparked following the release of a January 2013 report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) on red light camera successes in Arlington.

A year after installing cameras at four dangerous intersections in June 2010, Arlington officials saw the likelihood of violations occurring .5 seconds after the light turned red was down 39 percent.

Violations occurring 1 second after the light turned red were 48 percent less likely, and those occurring 1.5 seconds after a red – the most dangerous – were 86 percent less likely.

Fairfax County’s old program saw a dip in revenue because drivers became more aware of the cameras as citations were doled out to violators. Officials said that during the programs tenure, violations went down by about 45 percent.

Supervisor Cathy Hudgins (D-Hunter Mill) agreed that the safety benefits of restoring camera enforcement were certainly worth looking into.

“If you sit at any red light and wait to make a left turn, you will see red light runners, and it is a risk,” Hudgins said, adding that the number of police officers available for enforcement was minimal.

It's also another way to "ensure safety without adding police officers,” Frey said.

Do you think Fairfax County officials should authorize red light cameras? Do they make roads safer? Tell us in the comments!


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