Rampant speeding might
revive traffic camsState lawmakers will consider a bill
that would let counties install
fixed cameras
State lawmakers are again considering using cameras to ticket speeders on Hawaii's highways, but this time without the vans that sparked a public uproar two years ago.
House Transportation Chairman Joe Souki said yesterday he will hear a bill Monday to allow the counties to install fixed camera systems that would photograph vehicles exceeding the speed limit. He said the system would also catch motorists who run red lights.
"We have far too many people driving dangerously on our roads and not enough police officers to patrol every dangerous area," Souki said. "Van cam was a mistake that we don't want to repeat, but putting fixed cameras in dangerous locations could stop some of these horrible accidents."
A three-year pilot program with traffic cameras in privately operated vans parked on the highway shoulder was ordered cut short in 2002 by then-Gov. Ben Cayetano because of legal issues and loopholes.
Souki (D, Waihee-Wailuku) said the pictures taken by the fixed cameras would be downloaded into an automated system to mail citations to the registered owner of the vehicle, letting the counties keep the fines.
Besides catching speeders and red-light runners, Souki said just having fixed cameras would have a calming affect on traffic "all day, every day. They'll make our roads safer just by being there."
Souki said the biggest problem with the failed van cam program was the way in which it was implemented and a public perception that it was making large profits for the private operator.
Letting the counties operate the program will let them balance it with their other law enforcement duties, he said.
City Council Transportation Chairman Nestor Garcia urged state lawmakers last week to allow traffic cameras in hopes of cutting down on excessive speed and highway racing that has been blamed on several recent deaths.
On Feb. 13 two cars that police say may have been racing slammed into the back of a flatbed truck on the H-1 freeway, causing an explosion and fire that killed four people and injured two others.
Souki said besides the cameras, lawmakers are also looking at bills to increase penalties for speeding and racing, and to have graduated driver's licenses for young people.