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Few people, even if they have never had a traffic ticket in their lives, want to drive under a stoplight knowing that they are going to be photographed.
But, Sheriff Jeff Wiley and Ascension Parish government officials believe that real-time cameras at the most violation and accident prone redlights in the parish can reduce accidents.
The Parish Council last week adopted an ordinance that will allow the parish to have an outside contractor place cameras at targeted intersections in the parish where drivers are prone to run red lights.
When the Department of Transportation and Development issues a permit to operate the cameras, probably sometime in January, the streets of the parish will take on a somewhat different character.
By many accounts, the cameras change driver behavior, at least in the areas where the cameras are located. In other words, people don’t run red lights as often where the cameras are placed.
And, who knows, if drivers aren’t running red lights where they know the cameras are located, maybe some of the behavior will carry over to other stoplights where the cameras are not set up.
That would help make parish roads safer. Running red lights is dangerous business.
Running a light and getting caught on camera when the program begins will cost $95 for the first offense and $145 for subsequent offenses within a 12-month period.
The tickets can be protested with the Sheriff’s Office or through civil court.
A portion of the money raised from ticket collections, after the contractor is paid, will go to the Sheriff’s Office, parish government, the District Attorney’s Office and parish court.
Sheriff Wiley has left the door open for a percentage of collections to go to the parish road fund.
We think dedicating some of the money to road improvements should be made an integral part of the plan.
If the cameras prove to reduce accidents on parish roadways, we don’t think many people will be complaining about being photographed at Ascension intersections.
We know we won’t.
Few people, even if they have never had a traffic ticket in their lives, want to drive under a stoplight knowing that they are going to be photographed.
But, Sheriff Jeff Wiley and Ascension Parish government officials believe that real-time cameras at the most violation and accident prone redlights in the parish can reduce accidents.
The Parish Council last week adopted an ordinance that will allow the parish to have an outside contractor place cameras at targeted intersections in the parish where drivers are prone to run red lights.
When the Department of Transportation and Development issues a permit to operate the cameras, probably sometime in January, the streets of the parish will take on a somewhat different character.
By many accounts, the cameras change driver behavior, at least in the areas where the cameras are located. In other words, people don’t run red lights as often where the cameras are placed.
And, who knows, if drivers aren’t running red lights where they know the cameras are located, maybe some of the behavior will carry over to other stoplights where the cameras are not set up.
That would help make parish roads safer. Running red lights is dangerous business.
Running a light and getting caught on camera when the program begins will cost $95 for the first offense and $145 for subsequent offenses within a 12-month period.
The tickets can be protested with the Sheriff’s Office or through civil court.
A portion of the money raised from ticket collections, after the contractor is paid, will go to the Sheriff’s Office, parish government, the District Attorney’s Office and parish court.
Sheriff Wiley has left the door open for a percentage of collections to go to the parish road fund.
We think dedicating some of the money to road improvements should be made an integral part of the plan.
If the cameras prove to reduce accidents on parish roadways, we don’t think many people will be complaining about being photographed at Ascension intersections.
We know we won’t.
