INDIANAPOLIS — IMPD Chief Chris Bailey is looking towards the Indiana Statehouse to change a policy that he believes could make the city’s roads safer.
In an Op-ed posted in the IndyStar, Bailey addresses the need for red light cameras at certain intersections around Indianapolis.
In the article Bailey says, “By implementing speed and red-light cameras, we can create a safer environment for everyone, reducing the potential for biases in traffic stops and ensuring accountability among drivers.”
Although many on the Indianapolis City-County council support the move, the Indiana state legislature currently does not allow red light cameras.
Data shows that red light cameras can drastically reduce the number of accidents. According to the National Highway and Safety Administration, red light cameras reduced accidents by 54% in Scottsdale, Arizona shortly after their installation in 2021.
Jeremy Carter is the O’Neil School of Public and Environmental Affairs associate dean at IU Indianapolis.
He says oftentimes privacy is the biggest concern for drivers.
“I think the question is not around, per se, the technology itself, but how it's implemented, used, and what surrounds it,” explained Carter. “The state has to have the proper legislation laws and policies in place actually to support that type of activity.”
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Indy Pedestrian Crisis is a group that tracks the amount of accidents that occur in Indianapolis.
Their founder, Eric Holt, says red light cameras could be a step in the right direction.
“Obviously, there are privacy and other concerns about how this might be implemented to make sure that it is implemented in a fair way,” explained Holt. "Those are the conversations that we need to be having, and hopefully the legislature will allow us to do that.”
