Mt. Carmel Police:  Speed Cameras Making A Difference

Love them or hate them, it seems every driver has an opinion of speed cameras. Although they’re driving some people crazy, big brother has forced people to change the way they drive in Mount Carmel.

For the past three months, speeders who’ve driven along Highway 11-W in Mount Carmel have paid. In April, the town installed speed cameras along a two-mile stretch of road. The cameras take pictures of people who go above the 55 mile per hour speed limit. So far, Mount Carmel has written more than 3,100 speeding tickets; 1,000 more than the town wrote all of last year.

“The speeds have decreased dramatically,“ Assistant Police Chief Mike Campbell said. “Our crashes have decreased dramatically.“

Before installing the cameras, police say they averaged five car accidents a month along 11-W. In the last three months, Campbell says they’ve seen just one accident. Mount Carmel Patrolman Kenny Lunsford says that’s no coincidence. He has noticed a difference. Lunsford says he now writes 75% fewer speeding tickets along 11-W.

“The speed I’m monitoring now is nothing near what it was last year at this time,“ Lunsford said.

That said, police admit some drivers continue to speed. Campbell says the regulars know the locations of the cameras, so they only slow down briefly. On other roads, like Carters Valley Road, he says people still fly. Regardless, he says Mount Carmel is better off today than it was back in 2007, all thanks to the speed cameras.

“The proof’s in the pudding,“ Campbell said. “It’s already accomplished what we’ve wanted it to accomplish and it will continue, there’s no doubt about it.“

The cameras catch an average of 27 drivers a day speeding or 800 a month. Since 35,000 cars travel along 11-W over a 24-hour stretch, that amounts to less than one percent of drivers who receive tickets. Those who do get a notice in the mail have to pay a fine of $75. Although some people believe Mount Carmel is just using the cameras to make money, the town insists that is not true. In all, the town has collected $2,800 in revenue so far.