Republicans Aim to Kill DC’s Traffic Cameras, Reverse Right-on-Red Ban

House Republicans are pushing to eliminate some traffic safety measures in Washington, D.C., including traffic enforcement cameras and a ban on right turns on red lights.

As David Meyer explains in Streetsblog USA, “Speed, red light, stop sign, school bus stop-arm and bus priority enforcement cameras have been a longtime bugaboo of the House GOP, whose members pushed a similar provision in 2023 that failed to become law.”

Now, Congress members are using Trump’s federal takeover of D.C. to push more changes, even though data shows speed cameras reduce crashes and injuries. “A 2014 report by the District Department of Transportation and Metropolitan Police Department found injuries and crashes both dropped in the three years after the installation of a new enforcement camera.”

The same lawmakers want to reverse the city’s ban on right turns on red. “Like traffic enforcement cameras, right-on-red bans help make streets safer — in this case by reducing conflicts between turning drivers and pedestrians.”

According to Jeremiah Lowery of D.C's Bike, Walk and Bus PAC, the proposals are “all about feeling. None of it's based on research, none of its based on data.”