Red-light cameras have important role

I believe it's time for the Daily Herald to stop “seeing red” when it comes to red light cameras. Your newspaper has been attacking these cameras with the same passion that competing papers attack crooked and incompetent politicians. I would hope Sen. Dan Duffy's compromise, overlooking right turn infractions, convinces the Herald to end its campaign.

A few years ago, while driving to work, I stopped at a red light. When the light turned green I looked to the left, then looked to the right then drove forward. By the grace of God I happened to glance again to the left in time to see a semi barreling through the intersection at well over 50 miles per hour. A few weeks after that my wife and I came upon an accident scene that called for us to use our medical skills. We didn't see the collision, but witnesses said both cars went through the light “a little late.” There was quite a bit of blood and quite a bit of angst, but fortunately no one was hurt too badly. Yet I believe neither event would have happened had there been a prominent police car at those corners — or a prominent red-light camera.

The Daily Herald seems to feel intersections don't “deserve” cameras if they haven't seen enough serious accidents in the past. But I feel it's how deadly an intersection's future might be that we have to worry about.

Bruce Bedingfield

Hoffman Estates