ATLANTA – State Representative Barry Loudermilk (R-Cassville) testified yesterday at a hearing before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Highway and Transit in Washington, DC. During the hearing, titled “Utilization and Impacts of Automated Traffic Enforcement,” Rep. Loudermilk discussed the reforms he helped initiate to Georgia’s automated traffic control signal monitoring devices (red light cameras).
“I am excited that the positive direction Georgia is taking to protect the citizens from abusive use of red light cameras is getting positive national attention,” said Representative Loudermilk. “I hope my testimony helps our federal representatives better understand the issue of red light cameras and how they affect Americans throughout the nation.”
Rep. Loudermilk was invited to testify before the congressional subcommittee because of his leadership in reforming Georgia’s use of red light cameras. In 2008 he introduced House Bill 77, which made fundamental changes to the way red light cameras operate in Georgia. The legislation took effect January 2009 and resulted in an immediate reduction in the number of red light running violations at intersections operating red light cameras. According to the “2010 Red Light Camera Operation Report,” red light camera violations dropped 72 percent statewide within the first four months of the law’s implementation.
“Requiring local governments to implement sound engineering practices to improve intersection safety before implementing photo enforcement makes sense,” said Representative Loudermilk. “The purpose of House Bill 77 was to require local governments to implement engineering changes at dangerous intersections before resorting to photo enforcement. The success of this legislation comes from a focus on safety and engineering, not on expanding enforcement.”
Prior to passing HB 77, the Georgia General Assembly carefully considered the operation and use of automated red light cameras. During that time, Rep. Loudermilk and other members of the Georgia House of Representatives reviewed several studies that suggested an increase in the duration of the yellow light signal at problem intersections had the greatest impact on reducing red light running and accidents.
The studies further showed that there are three primary ways to reduce red light running: improving the engineering of intersections, which is the most effective; the next is through education; and the least effective is by enforcement. After considering these studies and analyzing data from the red light cameras in Georgia, the General Assembly passed House Bill 77. In its final form, this bill established statewide standards for red light camera operations and required additional time be added to the yellow light time of all camera-enforced intersections.
HB 77 specifically gave the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) oversight authority and established a red light camera permitting process. Local governments who wish to operate red light cameras must submit an application to GDOT before installing and operating a red light camera. The application must include concrete evidence that the intersection is dangerous and that the camera is being considered to address a genuine safety need. The application must also describe all attempts to solve the problem through engineering changes to the intersection.
The bill also required that annual red light camera reports be filed with GDOT. Any local government who fails to file this annual report is required to forfeit to the state all revenues received from red light cameras during the period of non-compliance.
The greatest impact of House Bill 77 was the requirement that all intersections that operate red light cameras must set the timing of the yellow light to the minimum federal standard, plus one additional second. The result of this provision has resulted in a significant reduction in red light running violations at photo enforced intersections across the state.
For more information on the “Utilization and Impacts of Automated Traffic Enforcement” congressional hearing please click here. A link to Rep. Loudermilk’s red light camera reform legislation from 2008, HB 77, can be found by clicking here.
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Representative Barry Loudermilk represents the citizens of District 14, which includes portions of Bartow and Floyd counties. He was elected into the House of Representatives in 2004, and is currently the Secretary of the Energy, Utilities, & Telecommunications Committee as well as Secretary of the Transportation Committee. He also serves on the Health and Human Services, Small Business Development and Jobs Creation, and Science and Technology committees.