HPD reports 25% payment rate for camera citations

Houston's red-light camera system may not be paying off as expected, according to today's Chronicle: Between Sept. 1, when the cameras went online, and the end of the year only a quarter of drivers ticketed by the cameras had paid their citations. More than 14,000 citations were issued during that time from the 20 cameras in operation, which means around 3,500 of those citations were actually paid. At $75 per citation, that equals $262,500.

The Chron notes that the figures may not be entirely correct, as violators caught by the cameras have 45 days to pay or contest their fines — so some people ticketed in 2006 might not have paid until 2007. Still, the 25 percent figure is well short of the 90 percent payment rate American Traffic Solutions, which operates the camera system, reports from other cities. The good news, though, if you can call it that: 25 percent is exactly what HPD expected (though once the entire system of about 50 cameras is in place, the city expects that 25 percent payment rate will translate into $6.7 million a year in revenue). Overall, "the program is working much like we anticipated," Sgt. Michael Muench, who oversees the cameras, said.

So why aren't more drivers paying their camera citations? It could have to do with the fact that the city can't take legal action against people who don't, which is one of the main differences between getting a ticket from a camera and getting one from a cop. Instead, unpaid camera citations are sent to collection agencies — so as long as you don't mind being harassed by bill collectors, we guess you'd be in the clear. But seriously — isn't it easier to just stop at red lights?