Pembroke Pines seeks lower insurance rates for residents, citing safer streets

With fewer accidents on the roads thanks to red light cameras, shouldn’t drivers’ insurance rates go down?

That’s what Pembroke Pines city leaders are asking the insurance industry.

The city is the first in Broward or Miami-Dade to pursue getting rates lowered for its residents.

“If cameras on average reduce fatalities and serious accidents at intersections by 35 percent, then insurance companies should reduce the auto premiums that Pembroke Pines residents pay,’’ said Commissioner Angelo Castillo, who is heading the effort. “It’s just that simple.’’

The commission recently passed a resolution urging insurance companies to reduce rates, citing the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety which credits red light cameras for reducing fatal accidents nationwide.

But don’t expect to see any savings in your next renewal bill.

“[Insurance companies] will say no,’’ said Lynne McChristian, of the Insurance Information Institute. “A resolution by well-meaning city officials does not determine what rates are.”

McChristian also said that while red light cameras have shown to reduce injury crashes overall, they may increase rear-end crashes.

Dave Snyder, vice president and a lawyer for the American Insurance Association, said safety should be the main reason that cities install red light cameras — not to reduce insurance premiums.

“There’s no need for a discount, that will happen automatically,’’ Snyder said, explaining premiums are based on geographic locations, as well as the driver’s safety record.

But Castillo said some insurance companies, such as American National Property and Casualty Co., are already giving discounts to motorists who live in red light camera cities.

In June, the Juno Beach became the first red light camera city in Florida to suggest that insurance companies give their residents discounts. So far, Palm Springs, Orlando and Riviera Beach have also expressed interest in getting red light camera rate breaks for citizens.

Pembroke Pines first discussed the idea in August, and asked City Manager Charles Dodge to gather statistics regarding the number of accidents at red light camera intersections. At the Sept. 7 meeting, Commissioners Iris Siple and Carl Schecter said they would not support the action unless Dodge’s report, due in January, indicates the cameras in fact improve public safety.

“When I read this resolution it seems like we are endorsing red light cameras with out any back-up materials on how the studies were done, but I know they are all done by the insurance companies in favor of the insurance companies,” said Schecter.

Castillo said he is confident that Pembroke Pines traffic studies will reveal the cameras are influencing better driving habits and hence less traffic accidents.

“But if the data does not indicate that we are reducing accidents, if we can’t prove that, then the program is a failure and it should be removed. It either works or it doesn’t,” Castillo said.

The city has had red light cameras since 2008; there are now 23 cameras installed throughout Pembroke Pines. Red light runners are photographed are mailed tickets to the tune of $158.

Some question whether a rate cut would be fair to drivers who may work or shop in Pembroke Pines, but live elsewhere.

For example, according to American Traffic Solutions, which handles the red light camera program in Pembroke Pines, just 30 percent of the 12,000 tickets issued between July 2010 and July 2011 were issued to residents.

Ramiro Kruss, who lives and works in Pembroke Pines, said he does not support the car insurance discounts based on red light cameras because he suspects it could have a boom-a-rang effect.

“Would they then charge me more if I ran a red light?” Kruss asked.

Still, Kruss admitted that he drives more carefully. “I don’t even run a yellow light just in case.”