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Measure would give drivers more time to get through red light camera intersections

Published April 25th, 2009 | 8 Comments

JOHNSON CITY — Legislation to give motorists a few more seconds to get through Tennessee’s red light traffic camera intersections without being fined is still alive, says state Rep. John Litz.

The Morristown Democrat talked about his traffic light camera bill during a taping of “Legislative Chat,” a public affairs program produced for public television by East Tennessee State University.

Litz’s bill, scheduled to be considered soon by a House Transportation subcommittee, initially called for a minimum five-second caution light at red light traffic camera intersections, while other caution lights around the state would continue to stay on for at least three seconds.

Litz said federal law calls for a caution light to run for a minimum of three seconds.

“We are going to amend my bill that after the (caution) light, there is going to be a three-second all-red (signal) at that intersection,” Litz said of the legislation’s pending amendment. “After that three-second all-red, if you are still in that intersection, then you are going to be tagged with a citation. The reasoning behind this ... we wanted it to be uniform across the entire state. This gives us a chance to do that.”

To give an example of what impact the bill might have, Litz used this scenario: “If you’re coming up on an intersection, and you’re in a tractor-trailer, and you’re driving the speed limit if it is 45 miles per hour, there’s a point of no return whenever you get past the point where you can’t safely stop. What we want to do is give that vehicle a chance to get through there if they are at that point of no return without getting a $50 citation.”

Litz admitted one thing traffic light cameras have done for local governments is make money.

“There is a lot of argument and dissension in our area in Morristown. ... The agreement that (city officials) have made with the red light camera people is they get half the money,” Litz explained.

In a separate legislative matter, Litz noted that saving state government money is an argument being used to justify a bill to fold the Tennessee Ethics Commission (TEC) into the Registry of Election Finance.

The TEC was created by lawmakers following the “Tennessee Waltz” 2005 federal bribery scandal that led to convictions and guilty pleas of four state lawmakers.

When asked if tougher ethics laws have worked in the legislature, Litz said: “Everything those people did in the Tennessee Waltz was illegal at the time, no matter the ethics laws that we have adopted since then. ... To the best of my knowledge no one has been charged with any kind of ethics crime since then. I don’t know that it has made it any better. ... I don’t see a big problem with combining the two organizations together.”

He also talked about economic challenges faced in his 10th House District composed of Hamblen County.

“When I was elected in 2002, our unemployment rate was a little over 6 percent, and now it’s pushing over 10 (percent) and that’s not acceptable,” said Litz, a farmer.

Last month, the New York Times published a story examining the county’s economic troubles and its effects on both local and Hispanic workers.

“Our Hispanic population in the past has been high because we do have some very rich farmland ... and some tomato producers have come into the area in the past,” Litz said. “We’ve also had other Hispanic workers switch over into construction and even into the factories. ... Every Hispanic that you see out here on the street is not an illegal alien. We’ve got to get past that. If we don’t, we’re breeding racism.”

On political matters, Litz agreed with Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Chip Forrester’s anticipated role in doing more grass-roots organizing, while other Democrats take on fund raising and candidate recruitment.

“I think we’ve allowed the Republican Party to tell people what we are ... (and) it’s not a true picture,” Litz claimed. “The Democratic Party I believe in is a big tent. We have some people who are far, far to the left, but we have some people who are very conservative. I would consider myself a moderate conservative. ... I don’t think the Tennessee Democratic Party that I’m a part of is like a California Democrat. We’re not baby-killing, gun-stealing tree huggers.”

Litz’s appearance on “Legislative Chat” will air Tuesday at 11 p.m. on WETP-TV, Channel 2, and WKOP-TV, Channel 15.

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Michael McCain - that's easy to say until you get caught by one of those cameras. i had never had a ticket in my LIFE for anything. i was going down stone drive, driving the speed limit when the light turned yellow, but it was too late for me to be able to stop - had i tried, i would be sitting in the middle of an intersection. so, i kept going - relieved because the front of my vehicle over the white line before the light turned red. guess what? i got a ticket in the mail - $100. from the picture you couldn't even tell because of the angle so i had no way to prove it - they didn't either, really. the thing is - if you bother going to court then you have to spend all day there, miss work, etc. etc. and by the time the mess is over - you were better off paying the fine. another time it was raining at night, kids in the car, came up on a light changing and SLAMMED on my breaks, tires skidding (this was after the ticket - wasn't about to get another one). i could've made it safely through the intersection, but i could have last time also and i still got a ticket. ever since i got that ticket, i want to drive FASTER at intersections. human judgement can do a few things those cameras can't which is take into consideration things like RAIN - other cars on the road - kids in the car you don't want to give whiplash - someone riding your tail end, etc. i'm all about abiding by the law, but i find it hard to believe that someone can go their entire life without ever getting a citation - and all of a sudden become a LAW breaker within months of these cameras going up. either i was really good at getting away with breaking the law all those years - or these cameras have major flaws.

JK Long | 4/26/2009 - 12:39 PM - ( Comment

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This is a step in the right direction.

One of the biggest complaints I've read from drivers residing in various cities that have cameras is that some intersections have a quick yellow. Knowing the amount of time you would have to "proceed with caution" would have to increase safety moreso than the few who might still try to outrun the thing anyway.

A 3-second caution on some roads might still put you in that "point of no return" situation. A 5 second caution, although weird when you think about it would actually give nobody an excuse to not stop, even the 18 wheelers.

For those of you wondering, Michael is right. As long as you've crossed the white line (you know...the one most feel like they have to sit behind to make a left instead of proceeding into the intersection :-) the camera will not engage.

Frank O'Pinion | 4/26/2009 - 11:29 AM - ( Comment

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Tractor trailer or not, I believe there is a "point of no return" for ALL vehicles on the road, after which you cannot safely stop. Even if they didn't want a full 3 second grace period, 2 seconds should be plenty to get the vehicle out of the intersection after the light turns red, and could easily be BEFORE the other light turns green.

Kari Lucas | 4/26/2009 - 11:16 AM - ( Comment

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This all just don't make sense to me. Sounds like this guy got too many red light camera citations. Its plain and simple people quit breaking the law and running red lights and you will not get fined. They will not give you a ticket if your nose is past the white line before it turns red.

Michael McCain | 4/26/2009 - 7:13 AM - ( Comment

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Well, FINALLY someone woke up! I don't like the cameras either, but this seems like a step in the right direction - since it seems we are doomed to keeping them.

Elaine Brown | 4/26/2009 - 4:19 AM - ( Comment

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I believe all the camera will be gone soon.
I believe the new law by Litz would be great also.
I have seen these other places in the States.

Tracy Farmer | 4/25/2009 - 11:23 PM - ( Comment

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A better idea would be just to remove them all together.

Matthew Wallen | 4/25/2009 - 11:16 PM - ( Comment

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Thank you Rep. John Litz. I hate it when I have to slam on my brakes and have a car go up my exhaust.

john davis | 4/25/2009 - 10:28 PM - ( Comment

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