LETTER: Pa. residents should oppose Automated Speed Trap Bill

The PA House Bill 1284 money grab lays bare the true motivations behind the work zone and Roosevelt Boulevard speed cameras — revenue enhancement, not safety concerns.

Harrisburg is desperate for more of your money. Pennsylvania and her local governments just experienced the worst decline in income tax revenues ever recorded. It’s the second steepest year-over-year percentage decline ever. Some in the Legislature think that speed cameras are the perfect way to get millions and millions of dollars from drivers.

Everyone has to drive, so we are a captive demographic. It’s easy to post speed limits too low turning everyone into “speeders” liable for a speed camera ticket. We will be lied to that the lower limits are for “safety.” How can anyone be against “safety?” It’s like being against Mom and apple pie.

Posting low limits is not for safety, it’s for raising revenue. Highway safety engineers, using 70 years of data, know that posting limits at 85th Percentile Speeds results in the safest roads. But the Legislature doesn’t want you to know that, so urban myth and legend are used to confuse the issue.

According to PennDOT, our highways have never been safer: PennDOT: Pennsylvania traffic deaths decreased in 2022 — https://www.wtaj.com/news/regional-news/penndot-pennsylvania-traffic-deaths-decreased-in-2022/ So why do we need speed cameras? To rake in big money. Your money.

Tell your state representative and senator to vote no on Automated Speed Trap Bill HB 1284. Tell them you are not a cash cow to be milked every time you get behind the wheel.

—Tom McCarey,
Berwyn