Don’t support Zaun’s speed camera crusade

State Sen. Brad Zaun, R-Urbandale, just won’t quit his support for people who feel they have a right to exceed the speed limits on our streets and highways. Having failed in the past to get an outright ban on traffic cameras, he tried to legislate them into ineffectiveness. Now he’s trying to legislate them out of existence through legislative trickery by combining good and bad issues. His bill, Senate File 3016, would combine two things regarding safety on Iowa roads, one positive effort and one negative.

The positive issue, prohibiting the use of hand-held devices for texting and calling (except for emergencies) is needed and overdue. The second, banning traffic cameras, is not. While the first would probably save lives, it is difficult to enforce by writing citations. Traffic cameras, by contrast, have proved records of effectiveness in saving lives and preventing crashes.

The two measures need to be voted on separately. Passing the bill in its present form will needlessly endanger all of us. Sen. Zaun’s animus to the cameras apparently stems from having to pay a ticket incurred by his son years ago, who was caught speeding by a traffic camera. His reasons for getting rid of the cameras have ranged from doubtful to ridiculous over the past decade. I am asking our legislators to vote for proven effective measures and not support Zaun’s petty revenge crusade.

Jerry Chilton

Cedar Rapids