Letter: Keep the traffic cameras on I-380

Sen. Brad Zaun and Rep. Walt Rogers, having failed to ban traffic cameras or legislate them into ineffectiveness, are trying again, citing the cameras as a revenue-raising scheme by several cities, including Cedar Rapids.

Guest columnist Gary Hughes, the lead petitioner in a lawsuit against Cedar Rapids, alleges citations are issued 'unfairly” and falsely states the cameras have not increased public safety ('It's time to ban traffic cameras,” Dec. 29).

We are reaching record fatality numbers from crashes at a time when the highway patrol is grossly understaffed. Education and warnings are ignored and have failed to halt the increasing fatalities. Too many drivers will simply ignore speed limits and run red lights when there are no consequences for their actions.

We know the cameras save lives. Since they've been installed on the S-curve, crashes have decreased and fatalities there have ceased. Perhaps Zaun, Rogers and Hughes should tell us what they would consider an acceptable number of deaths on the S-curve.

Jerry Chilton

Cedar Rapids