Dayton's speeding tickets soar with cameras

DAYTON, Ohio — The number of speeding tickets issued in Dayton has zoomed up since the southwest Ohio city added traffic cameras to busy streets.

The Dayton Daily News reports that tickets were up nearly 1,400 percent, to 58,325 last year. The 14 traffic cameras added two years ago generated 55,676 of the tickets.

Meanwhile, police officers wrote fewer speeding tickets, down about a third from 2010.

Each camera ticket carries an $85 penalty. The city keeps 65 percent, with the rest going to the company that installs and maintains the cameras.

Dayton police say the cameras improve safety, and are reducing speeding and red-light running. Critics say they are mainly to increase revenues.

A Hamilton County judge recently ordered a halt to speed camera citations in a Cincinnati-area village.