There is such an easy fix to all of the red-light camera debate, one that will not eliminate the cameras, but will go toward calming down the people who get ticketed. That is to decrease the amount of the fine.
I would propose that if the driver is ticketed for running a red light, the first and second offenses within a year have a fine of $20. If you are ticketed a third time then the fine would be what it is now, $124.
At the start of the second year your record starts clean again and so on. And the driver can still have the right to contest a ticket. And it always seems in order to contest a ticket the driver has to take time off of work in order to fight the ticket. But if the fine is smaller there would be less anger and a willingness to send the amount of the fine in without contesting it. It seems every fine in every jurisdiction is minimum of $124 and that is excessive.
If an accident occurred because of running a red light, well, then the driver would be subject to even more fines than the $124.
Decrease the size of the fine and a lot of controversy and resentment over the cameras will be eliminated. There is a good purpose behind them, but not at $124 a pop.
Alan Oslin
Everett
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