Supporters say new law will slow down red light tickets

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5/ 1/2012: Radio Story - Missouri House passed a bill that would prevent traffic violations.

Intro:	Supporters say a new state law is putting the brakes on red light camera tickets, but could slow down city revenue.
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Wrap: The law prohibits Missouri and its cities from manipulating the lengths of yellow lights at intersections.

Cities must set their timers according to federal traffic safety standards.

The city of Arnold installed the regulated timers and decreased red light tickets by 90 percent.

Former Arnold councelman Matthew Hay says the new timers will increase safety at intersections.

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Description: "I mean it almost seems like a trade-off that many of these municipalities are in fact trading, you know, safety or at least, you know, lack of collisions for increased municipal revenue."

Executive director of the Missouri Municipal league Dan Ross says there was no evidence of cities lowering timers to gain revenue.

Reporting from the state capitol, I'm Brendan Cullerton.

Intro:	Supporters say a new state law will make Missouri intersections safer by regulating yellow light timers
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Wrap: The law forces Missouri and its cities to adopt federal traffic safety standards for the length of yellow lights.

Senator Jim Lembke says the law will make intersections safer by allowing drivers more time to stop at yellow lights.

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Description: "The studies have shown that when you lengthen what they call the dilema zone, that you actually have less accidents, and you write less tickets."

Lembke says there was evidence of some cities lowering yellow light timers below federal traffic safety standards to generate revenue.

He says the law may reduce red light ticket revenue for cities, but the ultimate goal should be to protect citizens at intersecions.

Reporting from the capitol, I'm Brendan Cullerton.

Intro:	Missouri yellow light timers are finally forced to comply with federal traffic safety standards.
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Wrap:Missouri law now requires Missouri and all its cities to follow the same federal traffic safety regulations with their yellow light timers.

Executive director of the Missouri Municipal league Dan Ross says this will be an improve safety by having one set of guidelines for all cities.

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Description: "I think,you know now there is one standard so everyone knows what the rules are, and we support the standard, and people going into the cities know what to do."

Traffic and highway safety engineer Julie Stotlemeyer says the regulations will improve safety by giving people more time to notice the yellow light and slow down at intersections

Reporting from the capitol, I'm Brendan Cullerton.