CITY ALDERMAN WANTS SCHOOL FOR RED LIGHT CAMERA OFFENDERS
Recently, City of Chicago Finance Committee Chairman Edward Burke introduced an ordinance aimed at red light offenders. Burke's ordinance directs the city's Department of Administrative Hearings to launch a "red light education program."
With this new program, red light offenders would complete an educational program similar to what most teenagers in the State of Illinois are required to complete after they run a red light. Bruke reasoned that in 2008, there was a 40% drop in teen deaths due in part to the educational programs. The alderman believes that the same treatment for adults could lead to significant reductions in the number of intersection automobile accidents.
The cost of this program would be funded by a $25 fee assessed to individuals in addition to their $100 ticket fees. Failure to complete the program would result in an additional $50 fine.
Burke also noted that 27% of the nearly six million roadway accidents each year occur at intersections. Alderman Burke would also like to utilize the red light cameras to determine insurance violations.
Currently, the City of Chicago has 143 red light cameras with an expected 39 more to be installed this year. The city projects at least 330 red light cameras by 2012. In the past year, the use of red light cameras resulted in 579,560 tickets and generated $44.8 million in revenue. During the first three months of this year, 148,612 tickets were issued because of red light cameras bringing in $13 million for the city.
Most importantly, the use of red light cameras has been credited with a 59% reduction in drivers running red lights. The Law Offices of Jeffrey J. Kroll supports any ordinance or legislation which would reduce or eliminate the number of traffic fatalities. All too often, people are killed due to carelessness at intersections.
The Law Offices of Jeffrey J. Kroll has successfully handled numerous intersection collision cases resulting in outstanding verdicts and settlements for our clients. In March of 2009, we obtained a $1.495 million settlement for the family of a 49-year-old woman struck and killed by a Dayton Freight Lines semi tractor trailer at an intersection in Danville, Ill. Additionally, our firm obtained a $2.9 million settlement for a 43-year-old man who was killed at an intersection in a motor vehicle collision and was survived by a wife and two adult children.
