Sidney’s Rainbows, the Andover nonprofit formed in the wake of a horrific, 2023 crash in Elm Square, is pushing state legislators to pass a law that would allow Massachusetts towns and cities to use red light and speed cameras to issue tickets.
If passed and signed by Gov. Maura Healey, Massachusetts would join 21 other states that allow the cameras and automated ticketing systems. Numerous studies have shown the cameras reduce driver speeds, as well as accidents that result in injury or death. By one count, the cameras can reduce crashes with injuries by 25 to 30 percent in the intersections where they are installed.
“I think we should do everything we can to protect pedestrians,” said state Sen. Barry Finegold (D-Andover), who co-sponsored the Senate version of the bill. “If these new initiatives are helpful, then we should move forward”
Sidney’s Rainbows was formed in 2023 after five-year-old Sidney Olson was hit and killed by a truck while crossing the street in Elm Square. The group has been an advocate for changes locally to improve pedestrian safety. The group is asking supporters to send testimony to Siobhán Morrissey (Siobhan.Morrissey@mahouse.gov) by the June 30 deadline.
“It is implausible for officers to be everywhere and catch every violation,” Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, a nationally recognized non‑profit group, said in a May 29 letter urging Massachusetts lawmakers to pass the bill.
No formal opposition has evolved in a series of committee hearings on the bill, but opponents in other states where such laws have been considered have raised concerns about privacy, due process, and over-ticketing.