Voice of the People Op-ed
Are speed cameras an enforcement-for-profit racket?
90% of PA’s posted speed limits are 8 to 16 mph below the average safe speeds that the super-majority of drivers travel (Federal Highway Administration data). That turns most drivers into wanton “speeders” liable for a $170+ citation.
That’s what the camera promoters are banking on, literally. Put a speed camera on a road with a low-posted limit and millions of dollars will flow like water into Harrisburg’s coffers, and onto camera makers’ bottom line.
This is all because Harrisburg refuses to enforce a provision in Title 75, PA’s Traffic Code, that says to post limits at the 85th Percentile Speed of free-flowing traffic, the safest speed with the most compliance, after a traffic study has been conducted.
If speed limits were properly posted, the fake “speeding crisis” would disappear, freeing the police to go after really dangerous drivers. No need for speed cameras. Cameras are not safety tools, they only raise money. Cameras can’t stop accidents, cameras can only take pictures and send you a ticket. Do cameras in banks stop bank robberies?
But that would take away government’s ability to unfairly tax drivers to the tune of tens of millions of dollars a year. The politicians really, really want all that money, and figure that by accusing safe drivers of “speeding” they can get away with it.
The public have no access to camera calibration records since camera data is kept top secret by PA law. Why do you think that is?
Tom McCarey
285 Dayleview Road
Berwyn, PA 19312
(484) 318-9781
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