GOVERNMENT: COUNCIL DIFFERS ON NEED FOR TRAFFIC CAMERAS

Red-light runners in Cape Girardeau have at least a few more weeks to avoid being caught on tape and ticketed for their crime.

The Cape Girardeau City Council tabled a decision to install video cameras at one intersection after some councilmen expressed doubt Monday night about the system's effectiveness as a deterrent to drivers who run red lights.

But Mayor Albert Spradling III, visibly frustrated by the council's hesitation, reminded members that the point of the system is to prevent crashes with its ability to delay cross traffic when a driver runs a red light.

The matter will be discussed again at the council's Nov. 20 meeting.

The automated red-light-enforcement system, which is a set of video cameras designed to tape only drivers who are in the process of running red lights, will allow police to ticket the vehicle owners without having to be present at the intersection.

The system tapes a five-second clip only when it senses that a driver is going too fast or has not slowed in time to stop for a red light. Police have the option to review the clips to determine if there were extenuating circumstances causing a driver to run a red light. Vehicle owners who have been issued a citation also will have an opportunity to review the clip and protest the citation.

Conflicting views

Because citations will be sent to the owner of the vehicle whose license plates are recorded by the video camera, not the actual driver, only a $50 fine will be enforced. No demerits will be issued to a person's driver's license or his or her insurance premium.

Councilman Richard Eggimann said he believes a more effective deterrent for negligent drivers is the point system. Normally, a point value is assigned each traffic violation cited by police, and driver's licenses can be pulled after so much accumulation.

"Getting a point is a deterrent," Eggimann said. "You can pay $50 or $75 as many times as you want. Money is not a problem, but a point that will affect your insurance for three to five years is really a bigger deterrent than anything I can think of."

Councilman Jay Purcell agreed with Eggimann.

"I really don't see the advantage of this over having face-to-face interaction with the officer and the addition of points to their insurance," Purcell said. "What troubles me is that we're going to apply a monetary value to it but not a point value. If we're actually worried about safety on the road, the point system is the way to do it."

Spradling said he believed the council was missing the point of installing the system.

Mayor stresses safety

"Our ultimate goal is safety," Spradling said, explaining that the cross traffic light will delay turning to green for about three seconds if it senses someone is running a red light.

"To me, that is the greatest benefit of the whole system," he said. "The goal is to slow down cross traffic and not have a crash. That's why I think this system is more important than what we're focusing on."

Purcell suggested that the council consider installing a three-second delay at all intersections without the use of the video-taping system.

Because Cape Girardeau officials will be unable to match up video clips of offending drivers with state records and photographs, the city likely would ticket vehicle owners instead of drivers.

Councilman Frank Stoffregen said he believes this is unfair.

"My biggest problem is issuing a ticket to the vehicle owner rather than to the driver," said Stoffregen, a vocal opponent of the cameras since the first council discussion of them. "I don't care how you slice it, that's government harassment of our citizens."