60 percent of speed camera citations were issued to Buffalo residents in zip codes with predominantly minority populations.
In 2020, the City of Buffalo installed speed cameras in school zones around the city to reduce the number of crashes in areas where children are going to and from school. This study analyzes data from citations issued by the City of Buffalo Parking Violation Bureau to determine whether the camera program disproportionately impacted particular segments of Buffalo’s population. The analysis found that the speed camera program significantly impacts low-income, high-poverty, and minority communities. The report also highlights instances of ineffective and unethical operation practices by the program.
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Key Findings:
- Vehicle owners living within the school’s zip code and in the immediately adjacent zip code received the most citations.
- 36.8 percent of the 24,000 citations issued were unpaid and overdue; Buffalo’s low-income, high-poverty zip codes have the highest rates of unpaid citations.
- 21.3 percent of citations issued were to residents living in Buffalo’s five poorest zip codes.
- The city collected nearly $40,000 from wrongfully cited vehicle owners over two days.
- The city had to cancel almost 52,000 citations representing $2,569,150 from failing to meet statutory mailing deadlines.
Recommendations:
- The City should invest in traffic safety infrastructures.