The cities of Albuquerque, Las Cruces and Santa Fe have sixty days to pull down the red light cameras and speed cameras currently operating on state and federal roads in New Mexico. The New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) announced yesterday that transportation commission members unanimously decided to outlaw automated ticketing machines on thoroughfares within its jurisdiction.
“There seems to be many competing studies out there that make confusing claims about the efficacy of the devices currently in use,” State Transportation Commission Chairman Johnny Cope said in a news release. “While the true safety impact of the use of these cameras is still murky at best, one thing has become clear to the Commission — more and more New Mexico cities seem to be putting driver-generated revenues ahead of sound traffic management techniques; frankly, that concept really troubles me.”
Data from Las Cruces showed that red light cameras failed to produce any significant reduction in accidents nine months into the program (view data). This finding is consistent with a number of controlled studies conducted around the world (view studies). Despite the poor safety results, red light cameras and speed cameras have generated revenue windfall in the cities that use them. Albuquerque’s program, for example, has generated tens of millions in profit.
The new directive does not affect automated systems installed on local roads. After deciding to take a cut of the revenue from fines, the state government gave municipal authorities the ability to install cameras. State and federal roads, however, tend to have the greatest traffic volume and revenue potential. NMDOT identified eight specific intersections that would be affected under the new policy.
“Any existing red-light cameras violating this new policy must be removed within sixty days of the implementation of the policy,” Transportation Secretary Gary Giron said. “NMDOT will work with each city on this issue; shutting down and ultimately removing the devices in a timely manner.”
[courtesy: Thenewspaper.com]
I’ll take any victory for ANTICAM…no matter how small.
I love New Mexico……where else can you travel 400 miles in just under 5 hours?
Apparently, they don’t issue any points against your driver’s license if you’re outside of an urban area when you get a speeding ticket.
Heck, in January I received a warning for driving 50 in 35 along the Southern Blvd in Rio Rancho (due to being late and stupid). I thought with the way municipalities and counties are hungry for cash, a ticket was guaranteed. But the cop said that since I never had any tickets before, I only get a warning.
BTW, the red-light cameras along Coors are programmed to act as speed cameras as well.
As are the ones along Montgomery, as I found out a couple years ago…
With all the losses these camera companies keep suffering at the polls and in the legislatures, I wonder why they don’t just pull out or at least regroup and try a new strategy.
Amen, and hallelujah! It will be good to see those damn cameras disappear.
I am happy that the state finally figured out a way to get rid of the cameras, at least on state roads. The City of Albuquerque and the State of NM have been going back and forth on this issue since the cameras went up a few years ago. I’m surprised it took the state this long to think up this solution. I’m also amazed I’ve never been ticketed by a red light camera given the time I’ve spent driving in Albuquerque.
Scameras have never won a popular vote. Politicians rightly fear the electorate on this issue.
Most places with a lot of camera enforcement have governments (ahem, monarchies, ex or current) which are top-down. Here in the US, as designed, there is also a lot of “bottom-up”. Scamera merchants will convince a few town or city councils, but most will reject out of hand. Falling revenues have made this mentioned more frequently, but most places are not rushing to do this.
The safety record is at best mixed. While some government types and a few misguided “safety” organizations or insurance companies love the revenue stream, the simple fact is that IF IT COST MONEY THEY WOULDN’T EVEN CONSIDER IT.
Most Red light Running can be stopped with proper timing of signals.
In the alternate, make the yellows too short, under-post free flow speed limits, and $nap Away !!!
IF IT COST MONEY THEY WOULDN’T EVEN CONSIDER IT.
The biggest illustration of that is in North Carolina, where 95% of the cameras came down after the state Supreme Court ruled that they aren’t exempt from the provision in the state constitution requiring the proceeds from all fines to go to the school system.
However Cary, a wealthy and very stubborn city, decided to keep theirs and pay for them out of their own pocket. It’s nearby, I’m from there and drive there often. I’ve never been ticketed. On the one hand I want to call them bastards but on the other hand they are putting their money where their (albeit misinformed) principles are on increasing safety at intersections.