Schaumburg Mayor Ignored Red Light Camera Warnings

Jul 1, 2009 | by Brian Costin

Schaumburg Mayor Al Larson & Police Chief Brian Howerton have decided that red light cameras will permanently shut off the most lucrative red light camera in the U.S. and cancel plans for 9 more.

The Schaumburg Freedom Coalition, and Schaumburg residents Mike Theodore & Bob Garrett deserve praise for thier tireless efforts in opposing these cameras over the better part of the last year. This victory is the Schaumburg Freedom Coalition’s biggest political victory ever.

But, before we also congratulate Mayor Larson & the Village Board for reversing their positions we should take a look back and see if this mess could have been entirely avoided in the first place.

The following statements are from Red Light Camera Debate at the Village Board Meeting on September 23rd, 2008 which was prior to the implementation of the Red Light Cameras. The Schaumburg Freedom Coalition opposes red light cameras for safety, economic, and civil liberty grounds.

Statement by Brian Costin

“Brian Costin presented several studies that found that red light cameras actually increase the amount of traffic accidents and also fatalities in some cases. These findings are contrary to what is generally accepted which is that the red light cameras reduce traffic accidents, injuries, property damage, and fatalities. Mr. Costin read several case studies that justified his opinion.

Mr. Costin submitted the studies to the Village Board and recommended to the Board that they do not proceed with red light cameras in Schaumburg on the basis that it is a public safety issue. Mr. Costin summarized that there are a lot of signs that are saying that red light cameras make intersections more dangerous, cause more injuries, and cause more property damage.”

Mayor Larson’s Response

“President Larson asked how he explained the results in Elk Grove Village. Craig Johnson, Mayor of Elk Grove was quoted in the Daily Herald that after installation of red light cameras there were a number of intersections that saw a reduction in collisions.”

Mayor Larson refused to acknowledge the significance of the research of respected institutions such as Virginia Department of Transportation,University of South Florida, The Washington Post, North Carolina A&T University, Ontario Ministry of Transportation, Australian Road Research Board, and Monash University (Australia). I wonder if Mayor Larson even glanced at the studies we provided him with before rushing through with the red-light cameras.

The 7 studies presented at the Village Board Meeting showed results from thousands of red-light camera intersections all over the United States & the world for well over a decade.

How can a Mayor be so shortsighted to ignore overwhelming mounds of scientific evidence from so many respected organizations, only to selectively take evidence from a small handful of intersections that had only been operating for a few months?

Simply, Mayor Larson did not do his due diligence. (more…)