D.C. Bicycle Advisory Council

The Safety, Education and Enforcement Committee (SEE) will reconvene at the Penn Quarter Teaism . SEE will meet at 6:00 PM, Wednesday, February 19, 2014, 400 8th Street NW, Penn Quarter (Downstairs). The agenda will include discussion on the next steps following Metropolitan Police Department's (MPD) presentation at January 2014 BAC general meeting. SEE plans on inviting MPD to its April 2014 to address education and enforcement concerns from bicyclists. The meeting will also discuss a report on the District Department of Transportation regarding the "safe accommodation" provision of the Bicycle Safety Amendment Act of 2013. Lastly, SEE will discuss the new DDOT speed camera report issued 1/14. Please support SEE and Andrea Adleman Chair, Safety, Education and Enforcement Committee and bring your ideas to the downstairs section of Teaism.

This morning I will be testifying on behalf of the DC Bicycle Advisory Council on the topic of legislation introduced by Councilmembers Cheh, Wells, and Barry which would set fines for speed camera fines based on traffic safety research. I had the opportunity to participate in a series of task force meeting which led to the development of this legislation. First, I want to say that the Councilmembers should be commended for taking an inclusive, public approach to developing the legislation. Second, I will suggest changes to make sure the legislation enhances traffic safety in Washington, D.C. The automated enforcement task force focused on how to change behavior to make people act more safely on the road – is the answer high fines, or is the answer more certain enforcement? In the case of speeding, the task force did not find evidence that higher fines enhance safety. By contrast, there is ample evidence that the presence of automated enforcement cameras does reduce infractions and e...