Speed Camera Option Coming to a Town Near You

By Lawrence Cook

January 3 @ 5:00 am

A Republican mayor is now touting the public safety aspects of a “red light camera” bill that was approved overwhelmingly by legislative Democrats while opposed by most all Republicans – including those representing the mayor’s own hometown.

Bristol Mayor Jeff Caggiano — who is also Bristol’s longtime Republican Town Committee Chairman — recently told The Hartford Courant that he looks forward to beginning the process of installing red light cameras in Bristol after receiving numerous complaints from the public about Bristol drivers making local streets unsafe.

The Red Light Camera bill, which allows municipalities to install automated speed cameras around town and mail tickets to offenders, was passed last year as part of the 2023 Vision Zero Council pedestrian safety law which seeks to improve motorist, pedestrian and bicyclist safety in Connecticut.

CTNewsJunkie reports that speed cameras are also under consideration in big cities like New Haven and Stamford and even in tiny Washington, Connecticut (population 3,685).

But despite Caggiano’s praise for the new law, two-thirds of Republican state senators voted against the bill, including state Sen. Henri Martin, R-Bristol. In the House, 70% of Republicans voted “No”, including Bristol Reps. Cara Pavalock-D’Amato and Joe Hoxha. The only legislator representing Bristol to vote “Yes” on the speed cameras bill was Democratic Rep. Mary Fortier.

Meanwhile, 91% of Democrats voted to pass the bill, which was then signed into law by Gov. Ned Lamont on June 27.

According to the Connecticut Crash Data Repository at the University of Connecticut, there have been 313 traffic deaths in Connecticut – a combination of drivers, passengers, motorcyclists, pedestrians, and bicyclists – as of December 13, with another dozen or so are expected by the end of 2024. There were a total of 308 traffic deaths in Connecticut in 2023, 367 in 2022, and 302 in 2021.

At the January 30, 2023 public hearing on the bill, dozens of people spoke in favor of it, including law enforcement and elderly advocates.

“We are proud to support the Vision Zero Council in their mission to eliminate transportation- related deaths,” said Lieutenant Colonel Kenneth Cain of the Connecticut State Police. “The Connecticut State Police have been part of the Vision Zero Council since its creation and have worked with our partner agencies to improve transportation safety.”

“Common sense laws with processes in place to ensure a just and fair system is what we see proposed, and we believe will help further protect the citizens in the State of Connecticut,” said Waterbury Police Chief Fernando C. Spagnolo, Jr.

“AARP Connecticut is thankful for the work that the Vision Zero Council put into creating its recommendations, and we hope that you will join us in supporting HB 5917,” said Anna Doroghazi, Associate State Director for Advocacy and Outreach of AARP Connecticut.

On the floor of the Senate, on the day Democrats gave final passage to the bill before sending it on to Lamont for his signature, Sen. Christine Cohen, D-Branford, said, “The goal is to ensure that there are no fatalities related to traffic related incidents. And the thought is that these fatalities due to traffic crashes are often preventable. In fact, the belief is that they are all preventable. Whether you’re on a bicycle or you’re a pedestrian, or you’re driving in a car, we want to do all that we can to ensure that you are on those roadways in a safe manner.”

For more information on how to be a safer driver in Connecticut, please visit the Highway Safety Office.