Auwe! Senate Bill 221, which would have authorized traffic cameras, didn't make it. 

We see them every day, drivers speeding through red lights at intersections, down neighborhood streets, past pedestrians in sidewalks. And we read about them all too often, pedestrians killed or maimed by speeders. Yet the majority of our legislators have given in, once again, to the loud minority who oppose traffic cams for whatever reason. Shame on them. Let's hope that SB-221 comes up again and again until it's finally passed.

Its purpose is not only to punish lawbreakers. It also serves as a deterrent. Just knowing that the cameras are there will force potential lawbreakers to think twice. No one needs to be reminded that a car is a dangerous 2-ton weapon. 

The old law wasn't perfect. The new won't be perfect when (not IF) it is passed. But we can fix that. The next time we read about a traffic death or injury, let's ask ourselves if a camera might have prevented it.