End USAA support of red light cameras

An unhealthy relationship has developed between the auto insurance industry and revenue inspired law enforcement. This has manifested itself in biased research and communications on red light cameras by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Unfortunately the United Services Automobile Association (USAA) provides financial support to the Insurance Institute and endorses its flawed research and communications supporting red light cameras.

There are numerous studies that indicate that red light cameras are not effective in reducing accidents. There are also many studies that indicate that red light cameras actually increase accidents when rear-end collisions are included in the count.

Founded in 1922, USAA is a large insurance and financial conglomerate that serves U.S. Military members and their families. More information on this association can be found at: https://www.usaa.com/inet/ent_utils/McStaticPages?key=about_usaa_main

This is an informal petition to indicate support for a binding formal petition drive that is being prepared in accordance with the USAA Bylaws with the assistance of the American Arbitration Association in time for the annual USAA membership meeting in November 2010.

The undersigned USAA members hereby state as follows:

1. We call upon the Directors of USAA to publicly urge the Institute for Highway Safety to suspend its endorsement of red light cameras pending further study.

2. We call upon USAA to employ a licensed professional engineer with recognized research credentials in the field of traffic engineering who is acceptable to the membership to render an opinion on the objectivity of the Insurance Institutes research and based on sound engineering and scientific methods to advise our USAA directors and the USAA membership on the proper research that must be carried out to justify the USAAs endorsement of red light cameras as an effective safety measure.