Two LeClaire speed cameras issued $6,310,150 in fines over 10 months. Police could not say whether cameras would reduce accidents. | Local News

With two months to go in the year since LeClaire’s two speed cameras were issued tickets, more than 88,000 motorists have been cited.

In late January, the city’s camera supplier, Sweden-based Sensys Gatso Group, collected $6,310,150 in fines.

Of the $4,331,375 collected from speed camera fines to date, the city’s share is $2,214,110. The remaining $2,117,265 belonged to Sensys Gatspo, city records said.

LeClaire’s agreement with the vendor gives Sensys 35% of the total fees for the first three years after installation. The company receives an additional 25% of the penalty collected when they are paid after 120 days, for the additional collection effort.

When the cameras were introduced in January 2021, Sheriff Shane Themas wrote a statement, saying their purpose was to reduce traffic accidents. One is located on Interstate 80 near the I-80 bridge. The other is in section 2300 of US 67, or South Cody Road, and both cameras measure speed in both directions of travel.

“Over the past 10 years, there have been a total of 334 vehicle crashes on I-80 and Interstate 67, within our business city limits alone,” Themas wrote. “This includes a total of 552 vehicles, three deaths and more than 115 injuries.”

In other words, statistics show that, on average, 15 accidents happen near each enforcement site every year.

However, more than a year after the cameras were installed, there is still no data on their impact on traffic safety. The sheriff said no plans have yet been put in place to analyze the data.

“I would say that it is still too early to analyze the effects of the cameras on the collision data,” Themas said on Friday. “From the data we have, the number of citations is decreasing over time, telling us that vehicles are slowing down.

“Our aim is to analyze the data, but we don’t have the manpower to do that right now.”

He has previously admitted that traffic cameras may not be popular with the riding public, regardless of city, but he assures that they will produce the desired results.

“We understand that ATE (automatic traffic enforcement) can be frustrating for some people, but as always, we’re being as transparent as possible and hope that this information will provide answers to those who need it.” any questions or concerns about the program,” Themas wrote in their January 2021 statement. “This new technology has proven time and time again, in several other cities, to be extreme. effective in reducing speed-related accidents and improving road safety around the world.We are confident it will do the same for our people and our roads .”

The majority of speed citations written from March 2021 are for speeds between 11 and 20 mph above the posted limit. In that category, more than 72,000 tickets were issued, worth $5,438,550.

By comparison, for the 2019-2020 financial year, Davenport’s eight traffic cameras brought in $1.5 million in sales.

LeClaire City Council is expected to discuss traffic enforcement cameras and the priority use of the revenue they generate at the General Committee meeting on February 22.