An investigation conducted by two news outlets found that red-light cameras acquired nearly $67 million last year for 86 Chicago suburbs and the companies that operate the lights. Nearly 90 Chicago suburbs have red-light cameras sending out more than 770,000 tickets a year. From the 10 suburbs with the highest revenue totals, nine have contracts with Chicago-based SafeSpeed LLC.
Chris Lai, SafeSpeed's chief operating officer, declined to say the amount the company makes, but says the company differentiates itself with its dedication to making sure we capture every violation.
But some drivers who've received tickets say the cameras aren't always accurate. In many cases, video evidence backs drivers who claim they've made complete stops. Records show the suburban red-light revenue total from 2014 to 2016 was nearly $170 million.
