The case for speed cameras

In her Nov. 5 Metro column, "In Montgomery, burning mad over speed cameras," Petula Dvorak wrote: "But whether [speed cameras] actually reduce accidents is questionable." Not according to the evidence she introduced in the next paragraph, in which she wrote that officials who studied the effect of speed cameras reported "collisions went down almost 30 percent in sites near cameras." While a disgruntled driver and a construction worker argue against speed cameras, the 30 percent figure is never disputed. Ms. Dvorak suggested that the anecdotal remarks of these two residents call into question the results of the study. They do not.

Ms. Dvorak concluded her column by suggesting that speed cameras are merely money-making devices; the evidence suggest they save lives.