Traffic camera violations down from 2010 holiday season

CEDAR RAPIDS - Two of the busiest travel weekends of the year - Christmas and Thanksgiving - turned out to be big money makers for the city of Cedar Rapids last year.

In 2010, traffic cameras ticketed more than 4,000 drivers during those holiday periods.

From Nov. 25 to Nov. 29, 2010, 2,690 drivers received citations, while between Dec. 23 and Dec. 27, 2010, 1,448 drivers were ticketed by the cameras.

The number of violations was higher compared with at least two other weekends last year pulled randomly by the Cedar Rapids Police Department.

But so far this holiday season, traffic violations have decreased, by about 1,100. From Nov. 24 to Nov. 28 of this year, 1,541 drivers received citations. In addition, there were three more cameras that were active this Thanksgiving that were not active at the same period last year.

Police, along with some drivers, believe there might have been fewer citations because people are becoming more aware of the cameras, not just in Cedar Rapids, but across the nation.

“They're all over,” said Mike Burkett, who was visiting Cedar Rapids from the St. Louis area. “Practically every state's got them now. You just have to be careful, stop when the light turns red.”

According to the Cedar Rapids Police Department, officers do get complaints from out-of-state drivers who are ticketed by the cameras. But officers say “photo enforced” warnings posted below speed limit signs and near stoplights are something every driver can see.

Sgt. Cristy Hamblin of the Cedar Rapids Police Department said officers are encouraged by the drop in violations from last Thanksgiving to this year.

“We always want people to slow down, leave space, and obey the rules of the road,” Hamblin said. “It's a big holiday weekend, and with it being on a weekend, we'll see how the violations stack up.”