The Wrong Way To Improve Traffic Safety
January 18th, 2008 Posted in Traffic Tickets
By NMA President, James Baxter
Maryland officials clamor for expanded use of ticket cameras for speed enforcement. Wisconsin legislators introduce a bill to legalize red light ticket cameras. New Jersey Governor signs legislation allowing local governments to use cameras to catch “red light runners.” Florida Legislators hold “dog and pony show” where ticket camera companies extol the virtues of camera-based traffic law enforcement.
Is there a message here?
Yes there is, but it isn’t about highway safety.
The real message is that state and local units of government are becoming strapped for cash. Property values are going down and that means property tax revenue will go down unless less mill rates go up; a political misfire at best. Sales taxes are stagnating. And those states with income taxes are bracing for some real bad news.
Their solution; let’s get creative about bilking motorists:
- Increase registration, licensing, and motor fuel taxes.
- Increase fees and fines for traffic violations.
- Create new traffic violations like prohibitions on cell phone use, lower BAC standards, doubling or tripling fines in work zones (in which often no work is being done), and primary seat belt laws.
- Lower speed limits and add redundant traffic lights and stop signs to roads that might otherwise compete with toll roads.
- And, the star of the parade; employ ticket cameras at every possible opportunity.
The rationalizations for this hammering of motorists include the usual disingenuous claims that motorists are single handedly responsible for global warming, mayhem on the highways, callus mowing down of highway workers, red light running epidemics, and triple digit speeds in school zones.
The list could go on, but any serious contemplation of the subject will come up with the same conclusions:
Governments need/want more money and they don’t have the integrity, the courage, or frankly, the justification to raise it through honest legitimate taxation.
Better to demonize drivers and imply that they and their vehicles are responsible for billions of dollars in debt, environmental havoc, and foreign wars.
That’s the government we’ve bought and paid for.
Image Credit: DerrickT
Other Related Articles
4 Responses to “The Wrong Way To Improve Traffic Safety”
By RICK GOLD on Jan 18, 2008
FOLKS,
THE ARTICLE HITS ANOTHER NAIL ON THE HEAD. IT POINTS TO YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW GOVERNMENT,ENROUTE TO 100% NANNY STATE POWER OVER OUR LIVES, SEES OUR CITIZENRY ONLY AS PROFIT CENTERS. THIS IS A TERRIBLE, OPPRESSIVE TREND FOR WHICH THERE IS NO END IN SIGHT.
MOREOVER, THE TRAMPLING OF RIGHTS AND TRAUMATIZING OF CITIZENS THAT ACCOMPANIES THIS ATTEMPT AT STEALING OUR FREEDOM BY STEALING OUR MONEY GOES ON WITH LITTLE OR NO PROTEST FROM OUR ACQUIESCENT CITIZENS;ALL THIS EVEN THOUGH THIS KIND OF THING IS CHANGING,FOR THE WORSE,THE VERY NATURE OF OUR LIVES.
WHERE’S IT ALL END ?? OR DOES IT EVER ??
REGARDS ALL.
RICK GOLD
By Mark on Jan 19, 2008
You can add Massachusetts to the list of states looking to bay bills by using motorists money. Massachusetts State Police publicly admitted that they will increase the number of tickets that they will give out in order to make up for lost revenue.
By Ed Calderon on Jan 19, 2008
More goverment in our lives than ever before.
Rick Gold,kudos to you I could’nt have worded it any better.Where does it stop? Or where do we as citizens put a stop to this madness?
Ed Calderon
By RICK GOLD on Jan 19, 2008
MARK,
RE MASSACHUSETTS: HOW INCREDIBLE IS THAT ??!! THESE NAZIS HAVE GOT THE INFERNAL GALL TO ACTUALLY ANNOUNCE(!!!)THAT THEY’RE GONNA’ PICK OUR POCKETS !!! NOT ONLY IS THE NANNY STATE GESTAPO CORRUPT THEY’RE ARROGANT ABOUT IT AS WELL.
EXCUSE ME. I GOTTA’ GO SOAK MY HEAD !!
THANKS MARK.
REGARDS ALL.
RICK GOLD