WTOC, Savannah, Georgia, news, weather and sports | City moving forward with plans for more traffic cameras
Member Center:
By Justin Burrows - email
SAVANNAH, GA (WTOC) - The City of Savannah is moving forward with its plan to install two more red light traffic cameras. They say it reduces the amount of traffic accidents in areas identified as high incident locations.
"They're geared towards trying to stop these fairly deadly t-bone kind of accidents," said city manager Michael Brown. "Because when people run red lights, that's what happens. They hit people in the side at high speeds and they can be deadly."
The city currently has four cameras in place, and say that since there installation, accidents have been reduced by nearly half because people are aware that the cameras are there.
"It slows people down; it makes them conscious of not running the red lights and therefore it cuts down on the accidents," said Brown.
The proposed locations for these cameras are the intersection of Abercorn Street and DeRenne Avenue and Abercorn Street and Montgomery Cross Road. Businesses in the area say that cameras would be a welcomed addition.
"I don't have a problem with it if it improves safety, it's fine," said Honey Baked Ham general manager John Peeckson.
"I think they're a good deterent from people running red lights," said Mark Busbuy, who works in the area. 'I feel as if two minutes sitting at a red light is going to save someone's life. I believe that's the rights step."
The city acknowledges that cameras are unpopular because people don't like getting tickets, and that there has been criticism that the cameras purpose is to raise money. Members of city council say, it's not about the money it's about saving lives.
©2009 WTOC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
