Nov. 22, 2011—The National Motorists Association announced a $10,000 Ticket Camera Challenge, hoping to prove engineering solutions are the best way to prevent red-light violations and accidents at problematic intersections.
Voters earlier this month struck down enforcement by ticket cameras in seven cities, including three each in Ohio and Washington State. In recent years, voters rejected photo traffic enforcement in 22 of 23 cities, including Houston, Albuquerque, and Cincinnati.
"Voters consistently reject camera measures because they are suspicious of safety claims made by public officials and the camera companies," said Gary Biller, executive director of the NMA. "To put cities to the test, we have issued the $10,000 Ticket Camera Challenge."
NMA is offering this challenge:
Communities can point out any intersection equipped with a camera that also has high numbers of red-light violations. The organization is guaranteeing a minimum 50 percent violation reduction through applying engineering solutions. If NMA fails to meet the goal then it promises to pay that community $10,000 for a traffic safety program or project.
If their plans succeed, then the community has to use the same engineering-based measures at other problematic intersections, rather than using the ticket camera program, according to the NMA’s news release_notes
Communities that want to learn more about this can contact the NMA at 608-849-6000, or [email protected]. More information on engineering solutions for intersection safety can be found at NMA’s website.