On first birthday, photo radar called success

PHOENIX -- Arizona's freeway photo radar program, which has been blasted as "big brother," is saving lives, according to the one-year report card issued by the state Department of Public Safety.

"We saved 13 lives through the photo enforcement program," said Lt. Steve Harrison of the Arizona Department of Public Safety, adding that number was for the Valley alone. He said 24 lives were saved statewide, according to figures from the first nine months of photo radar.

Harrison disputed the argument that speed cameras can't catch criminals.

"They can, because they free up our officers to do other jobs and go out and get the impaired drivers off the road that cause even more collisions and drug offenders."

Harrison said 52 more suspected drunken drivers were arrested in the nine-month period than in the year before the cameras were turned on.

About 35 percent of those snapped by photo radar paid their tickets, Harrison said. Others either ignored them or are contesting them.

"Clearly, people have the right to contest any citation," he said. "Photo enforcement's no different."

The figures show there were 3,100 fewer crashes on Valley freeways, a 20 percent drop, in the first nine months of photo radar -- from October 2008 through June.

The reduction in wrecks freed up officers to do other things, instead of rushing from one collision to another, said Harrison.

"Our officers are much more pro-active in metro Phoenix and they've never had that ability before," he said.

One year of operation has not quieted critics of the program.

Todd Kandaris with the group "Camera fraud.com" said there's no way DPS can prove photo radar is the reason behind fewer crashes.

"DPS is playing politics with people's lives and safety," Kandaris said. "Similar numbers came out of Nevada, which has a complete ban on photo radar."

Kandaris added, "I think they are trying to present as good a face on a flawed program as they can... putting out numbers correlating a reduction in accidents to their failed program."

Harrison said the cameras flashing the most in the Valley are along the Interstate 17 corridor, and State Route 51 near Glendale Avenue and the mini-stack.

DPS would like to add more cameras, but plans are on hold because of the state budget crisis, said Harrison.

"We have identified several camera locations throughout the state -- not just here in Phoenix -- where we think they would so some good," he said, adding that one of those places is along Interstate 10 in Tucson.

Harrison rebuffed the complaint that drivers do not have enough warning that a speed camera is dead ahead.

"We warn you about 300 feet beforehand, and there's another sign right where the unit is," he said. "We don't hide them behind pillars or behind bushes or billboards. The people who get caught need to pay a little more attention."

And, drivers have a buffer, he said.

"The camera activates at 11 miles an hour, so you can go up to 10 miles over (the speed limit) before it will even activate."

By contrast, the 1,000 DPS patrol officers on state highways can pull over drivers for exceeding the speed limit by as little as two miles an hour, Harrison said.