Following the death of 25-year-old Lance Sotelo in NoDa, Sustain Charlotte is urging city leaders to reinstate red light cameras to improve pedestrian safety.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. โ Safer roads is what Sustain Charlotte is all about. Organization leaders are pushing to reinstate red light cameras, citing an urgent need to reduce traffic fatalities.
Following the death of 25-year-old Lance Soteloย in NoDa, the organization is urging city leaders to reinstate red light cameras to improve pedestrian safety.
Charlotte used red light cameras from 1998 to 2006, leading to a 30% decrease in collisions. The program was suspended over financial concerns.
“Red light cameras, plus a bunch of other different techniquesโฏand design changes need to be put in as soon as possibleโฏbecauseโฏthis isโฏan emergency,” Eric Zaverl, an urban design specialist with Sustain Charlotte, said. “People are dying and losing their lives.”
The city considered reviving the program under its Vision Zero plan but chose speed cameras instead. The Charlotte Department of Transportation said data showed speeding caused more deaths than red-light running.
“There are a lot of cars crossing, there’s not nearly as many traffic lights or stop signs as I’m sure pedestrians would like,” Raja Venna, a resident who lives in the area, said.
Venna expressed skepticism about the cameras’ effectiveness. He said fines might make drivers more careful afterward, but questioned their impact in the moment.
“I think, retroactively, people will get fined for it and thenโฏafterwards they might be a bit more careful,โฏbut I think in the heat of the moment, there’s only so much you can do,” Venna said.ย
The debate continues as advocates cite the memorial for a crash victim as a reminder of the need for safer roads.
Contact Bria Smith at bsmith6@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook and Instagram.
