It’s official: the speed camera on K Street under Washington Circle had the most revenue out of all of the speed cameras in the District of Columbia since October, the start of fiscal 2013.
Just east of Georgetown, the K Street camera alone raised $8.1 million, according to the Washington Post. This amount sounds like an even larger when you consider the second highest grossing camera, southbound on 295, had an income of $4.6 million. Both of these cameras’ revenue makes up only a fraction of the total $78.8 million the District earned from speed cameras in fiscal 2012, according to WTOP.
This is an impressive number for the District to rake in. Amid complaints that the cameras are not so much for safety but for profit, the District Council moved to adjust fines this past year, reported NBC Washington. Despite the decrease in certain fines (a drop for going 15 mph or less above the speed limit), not all drivers are slowing down with the cameras continuing to generate revenue for D.C.
In research reports by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, cameras do increase safety, while drivers and pedestrians alike agree that cameras can decrease the number of automobile accidents. Could this mean even more cameras in the District’s future?
The Metropolitan Police Department lists all of the speed cameras on its website, and there are indications that it will add more red light and stop sign cameras. No matter one’s opinion on the cameras’ effect on safety, drivers should be aware of the consequences of speeding past a camera or going through a red light and should not be surprised when a ticket arrives at their door.
