Traffic Enforcement
Funding of Automatic Red-Light and Speed Enforcement Technologies
Gao ID: GAO-03-408R February 21, 2003
A number of cities and counties have implemented photo enforcement programs to improve traffic safety. These programs use cameras to identify drivers running red lights or speeding and issue tickets to owners of identified vehicles. Such programs are eligible for funding through Department of Transportation (DOT) highway funding programs. GAO examined the role that federal funds have played in the local deployment of photo enforcement programs. GAO agreed to (1) identify local jurisdictions that are using photo enforcement devices--red-light cameras or photo radar--on federal-aid highways; (2) identify local jurisdictions that have received federal funding for photo enforcement; and (3) determine, for those jurisdictions that have received federal funding, how much revenue their photo enforcement programs have generated and the amount of that revenue received by private contractors.
Of the 73 jurisdictions GAO contacted, we identified 65 local jurisdictions that were operating photo enforcement programs at the time of our survey (Oct.-Nov. 2002). Through the survey or information provided by DOT, we determined that 40 of these jurisdictions were operating photo enforcement devices on federal-aid highways. Five jurisdictions have received federal funds totaling $508,000 for photo enforcement over the last 6 years. These jurisdictions had collected a total of $50.4 million in fines from these programs and paid $46.2 million to private contractors to operate the programs. Two of these jurisdictions reported that the revenues from their photo enforcement programs were greater than the program costs, while the other three reported revenues less than program costs. The share of program revenues paid to contractors varied greatly among these five jurisdictions.
GAO-03-408R, Traffic Enforcement: Funding of Automatic Red-Light and Speed Enforcement Technologies
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February 21, 2003:
The Honorable Todd Tiahrt:
House of Representatives:
Subject: Traffic Enforcement: Funding of Automatic Red-Light and Speed
Enforcement Technologies:
Dear Mr. Tiahrt:
A number of cities and counties have implemented photo enforcement
programs to improve traffic safety. These programs use cameras to
identify drivers running red lights or speeding and issue tickets to
owners of identified vehicles. Such programs are eligible for funding
through Department of Transportation (DOT) highway funding programs.
The former House Majority Leader and you asked us to examine the role
that federal funds have played in the local deployment of photo
enforcement devices and the amount of revenue generated by photo
enforcement programs. In subsequent discussions with your staff, we
agreed to (1) identify local jurisdictions that are using photo
enforcement devices--red-light cameras or photo radar (speed cameras)-
-on federal-aid highways (i.e., roadways eligible to receive federal
aid) ; (2) identify local jurisdictions that have received federal
funding for photo enforcement; and (3) determine, for those
jurisdictions that have received federal funding, how much revenue
their photo enforcement programs have generated and the amount of that
revenue received by private contractors.
As agreed with your office, we limited our review of photo enforcement
programs to those 73 jurisdictions that had been identified by the
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety as having photo enforcement
programs (see enc. I). We developed the data on these programs through
a telephone survey of officials within the 73 jurisdictions and further
supplemented the data with information requested from DOT. We did not
independently verify the information provided by these sources.
Of the 73 jurisdictions we contacted, we identified 65 local
jurisdictions that were operating photo enforcement programs at the
time of our survey (Oct.-Nov. 2002). Through the survey or information
provided by DOT, we determined that 40 of these jurisdictions were
operating photo enforcement devices on federal-aid highways. Five
jurisdictions had received federal funds totaling about $508,000 for
photo enforcement over the last 6 years. These jurisdictions had
collected a total of about $50.4 million in fines from these programs
and paid about $46.2 million to private contractors to operate the
programs. Two of these jurisdictions reported that the revenues from
their photo enforcement programs were greater than the program costs,
while the other three reported revenues less than program costs. The
share of program revenues paid to contractors varied greatly among
these five jurisdictions.
On December 6, 2002, we briefed your office on the preliminary results
of our review. The slides in enclosure I contain updated information
that we collected to supplement the briefing.
AGENCY COMMENTS:
We provided DOT with a draft of this report for review and comment. DOT
agreed with the information in the draft and provided technical
comments, which we incorporated as appropriate.
We conducted our work from October through December 2002 in accordance
with generally accepted government auditing standards.
We plan no further distribution of this report until 7 days after its
date. At that time, we will send copies of this report to interested
congressional committees; the Secretary of Transportation; the
Administrator, Federal Highway Administration; and the Administrator,
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The report will also be
available on GAO‘s home page at http://www.gao.gov.
If you or your staff have any questions about this report, please
contact me at (202) 512-2834 or guerrerop@gao.gov. Key contributors to
this report were Sharon Dyer, Judy Guilliams-Tapia, and Robert White.
Sincerely yours,
Peter F. Guerrero:
Director, Physical Infrastructure Issues:
Signed by Peter F. Guerrero
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