And if the citys coffers end up overflowing with cash from Chicagoans who drive recklessly? (Money that must be spent on pedestrian and public safety, infrastructure or after-school programming).
Editorial: Whatever mayors motivation, school speed cameras are the right thing to do chicago public schools,We think its the latter. It fits with Emanuels broader effort to keep kids safe by lowering the city curfew and adding more resources for a school safe passage program, as well as a new citywide pedestrian safety plan. It also fits with Emanuels vision of himself as protector and enforcer.
Is his push for speeding cameras around schools and parks a ploy to help fill the citys depleted coffers? Or is it truly an effort to keep children safe from reckless speeders?
But its important to note, the bill already offers plenty of safeguards. It limits the cameras to the hours when pedestrians are most likely around and lets drivers off with a warning if they are going between 1 and 5 miles over the speed limit, which is 20 mph near schools and parks. Drivers going 6 to 10 mph over the limit will be ticketed $50. Above that, the fine is $100.
If Quinn or others want the law tweaked, that can easily be done by the Chicago City Council, which is required to pass an ordinance to get the speed camera program up and running.
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What we do care about is enforcing sensible laws that help keep Chicago children safe. Speed cameras within one-eighth of a mile (one block) of schools and parks cameras designed to catch people who are potentially putting Chicago kids at risk are the right thing to do.
Critics worry the city would blanket the city with cameras, something city officials deny, saying they would set up cameras only in problematic areas. If critics arent satisfied with that, or other aspects of its implementation, the council can address their concerns.
Quinn should sign this bill and give Emanuel one more way to make Chicago safe for children.
We dont care whats motivating Mayor Rahm Emanuel on this one.
Some critics have said this wont make as much of a dent in pedestrian talities as Emanuel suggests, and they may be right. Citing statistics from a city pedestrian study, the Chicago Tribune found that more than half of the citys 251chicago public schools talities between 2005 and 2009 occurred outside Emanuels safety zones.
You wont hear any complaints from us.
But again, we dont care.
This is an argument for more cameras, not fewer. But if installing the cameras is all thats done, its still worth it. Between 2005 and 2Editorial: Whatever mayors motivation, school speed cameras are the right thing to do chica009, more than 7,700 pedestrian crashes occurred within one-eighth mile of a school or park, city data shows.
We know were not alone on this, despite strong criticism of state legislation passed in November that lets Chicago for the first time set up automated speeding cameras near schools and parks. Gov. Pat Quinn, who has been silent on the bill, has until Feb. 6 to veto the measure. If he does nothing, it becomes law and goes into effect July 1.
One life saved, one life-altering injury prevented, is more than enough. Studies clearly show that the lower the speed the more likely a pedestrian is to survive a crash.
