Hillside Red-Light Cameras Not Making Intersections Safer: Critic

(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- A group of Hillside residents are calling on village officials to pump the brakes on the use of red-light cameras in the area.

"We know there's so much corruption involved with this program," said Roger Romanelli with the group Hillside Forward. "The information assembled by our village that was not disseminated directly to residents is fundamentally startling."

Romanelli said it shows that five SafeSpeed LLC cameras, installed at four different intersections back in 2010, haven't made them safer in recent years and in some cases have actually triggered an increase in traffic accidents.

"The goal is safety," Mayor Joseph Tamburino said Monday. "From what I can see, they are making streets safer, yes."

But Tamburino said the village will review the data next year and are willing to do away with the devices if data shows they are not working.

Romanelli is among those calling for a public hearing on the cameras long before then.

"What is Joe Tamburino hiding from Illinois motorists?" Romanelli asked. "We're living in the 21st century. We have various technologies that will help us reduce accidents at intersections without punishing Illinois drivers."

The group is urging lawmakers to support legislation that would ban red-light cameras statewide.