Advocates has written to the Virginia Senate Committee on Transportation in support of House Bill (HB) 994. This legislation expands use of speed safety cameras to safety red zones on roads with speed limits of 45 miles per hour (mph) or less located in a priority pedestrian corridor or high-risk pedestrian corridor, as identified by the state, to protect vulnerable road users (VRUs) and others.
In 2024, there were an overall estimated 9101 traffic fatalities in Virginia, which is an 11 percent increase from 2015 to 2024. Speeding is a major contributor to traffic fatalities as 35 percent of the fatalities in 2023 involved speeding, and Virginia’s proportion of speeding-related fatalities is significantly higher than the national average of 29 percent.
In addition, we urge amending the bill to allow law enforcement agencies to use speed safety cameras in safety red zones without local governing bodies having to first enact an ordinance enabling law enforcement to do so. This amendment would harmonize the process for utilizing speed safety cameras in safety red zones with the process in school zones, work zones and high-risk intersection segments.
Read the full letter here.