In a recent article in the Independent, Chandler’s John Dollar opposes the efforts in Arizona’s legislature (SCR 1002) to ban traffic speed cameras. As Mr. Dollar points out, Arizona has sadly become a national leader in traffic deaths.
Speeding has become so common that it’s often dangerous to drive at a legal speed in Arizona. We’re literally killing ourselves. We’re forcing higher insurance premiums. We’re participating in a breakdown of civil society.
What about the police? Even if they didn’t have more important duties, there simply wouldn’t be enough officers to effectively enforce speed limits. Even if they could, everybody would be endangered whenever they try to stop a violator along our crowded and fast-moving highways.
The only sensible answer is for Arizona to use technology to crack down on dangerous driving. We need more traffic cameras to enforce speed limits and red lights.
Drivers change their habits after they’ve been fined once for a violation; the majority don’t have to be fined a second time. Traffic flows more smoothly. Drivers calm down. Accidents are fewer and less tragic. Lives are saved. Human suffering and grief are avoided.
This is a common sense solution we should all support. Let’s all join Mr. Dollar in opposing Arizona Senate Concurrent Resolution 1002.
Joe Smyth is a Scottsdale retiree and the author of Fixing America’s Broken Politics. Please send your comments to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
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