A Letter to Dr. Gridlock of the The Washington Post
by Councilmember Phil Andrews
"Red-Light Running in the Metro Area"
October 26, 2000
Dr. Gridlock
The Washington Post
Dear Dr. Gridlock:
I agree with Frank Detaranto – red-light running in the Metro area is at epidemic proportions and represents a clear and present danger to other drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians.
As chair of the Montgomery County Council’s Public Safety Committee, I will work with our legislators in Annapolis to raise the fine for running a red light. The current fine of $75 is not enough – for some drivers that’s just the cost of doing business. We should hike that considerably, up to the $250 fine for red-light runners in Los Angeles.
In addition, we should increase the number of intersections where we have cameras that photograph the plates of red-light runners. In only a year, more than 20,000 drivers have been ticketed at the ten Montgomery County intersections where we presently have cameras installed. We should add the cameras to monitor many more of the estimated 700 intersections with signals in the County. The program pays for itself – and then some. But making money isn’t the goal – deterring red-light runners is.
Sincerely,
Phil Andrews
Montgomery County Councilmember
Rockville, Maryland