Arlington Could Put Stop To Red Light Cameras
ARLINGTON (CBSDFW.COM) - If you're thinking about running a red light in Arlington, you might want to think twice. That is because there are 23 red light cameras scattered all over the city. But, despite generating more than $2 million per year in revenue, the Arlington City Council on Tuesday will discuss doing away with the program.
Each red light camera violation is a $75 civil penalty. Arlington retained $2 million last year after giving another $1.8 million over to the state, and the city is on track to earn that much again this year. Arlington has made more than $12 million in red light revenue since 2007. Some of that cash funds the Arlington Police Department's DWI unit.
Red light car crashes in Arlington have dropped 32 percent since 2012.
However, critics have said that the program is more about revenue than driver safety.
At least two members of the Arlington City Council want the red light cameras to come down. The argument is that the cameras are ineffective and unfair. Many people do not pay their $75 fine, and officials said that there is little incentive to do so. Red light tickets do not end up on your record, and failing to pay them does not impact your credit.
Unpaid violations can put a hold on a driver's vehicle registration in Dallas County, but this is not the case in Tarrant County.
Arlington City Council member Robert Rivera is leading the charge against red light cameras. The city council will discuss this issue at a 2:30 p.m. meeting on Tuesday afternoon, but no decision is expected just yet.
Mayor Robert Cluck disagrees with Rivera, citing the decrease in car collisions. Cluck said that he has gotten two citations himself, and that the red light cameras have made him a better driver. "Under no circumstances do I want to get rid of them," said Cluck. "Forget the money. Just don't even think about the money. I don't even care about that part of it. But I do care about the impact we've had on the intersections manned by these red light cameras."
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