Red Light Cameras!
Red-light traffic cameras are reducing the number of fatal crashes in some cities, according to a new study.The report by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety concluded that from 2004 to 2008 red-light cameras saved 159 lives in 14 of the biggest U.S. cities. If cameras were installed in all large cities during that period, a total of 815 deaths would have been prevented, the study says. "The cities that have the courage to use red-light cameras despite the political backlash are saving lives," said Adrian Lund, president of the Institute for Highway Safety. The study, which was released this week, looked at 99 cities with populations over 200,000 and concentrated on two four-year time periods, 2004-08 and 1992-96. Researchers compared collision rates in cities with red-light cameras to those without.
Red-light cameras have stirred controversy with some officials claiming the technology is just a source to generate revenue while others argue cameras do not reduce crashes. The National Motorists Association has been vocal in its opposition to red-light cameras. On its website, a spokesperson for the association said, "Intersection accidents are just that, accidents. Motorists do not casually drive through red lights. More likely, they do not see a given traffic light because they are distracted, impaired, or unfamiliar with their surroundings ... Putting cameras on poles and taking pictures will not stop these kinds of accidents."
For some law-enforcement officials, red-light cameras are essential for traffic enforcement. "The red-light cameras are tools that help us enforce traffic laws because we have a limited number of resources and a large volume of traffic, especially during peak hours," Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said. Santa Ana has 20 red-light cameras at 15 intersections. A 24 percent drop in the fatal crash rate occurred in signalized intersections after red-light camera devices were installed, the report said. The rate of fatal red-light violation crashes dropped 44 percent.
"The number of accidents in intersections that have cameras has reduced at a higher rate than the intersections that don't have cameras," Bertagna said. But, at the same time, in Anaheim, the fatal crash rate at intersections with signals dropped by 29 percent despite not having red-light cameras.
The biggest drop in the rate of fatal red-light violation crashes came in Chandler, Ariz., where the decline was 79 percent, the report says. Steve Finnegan, government affairs manager for the Automobile Club of Southern California, said traffic-law enforcement needs to be done in a way that focuses on safety: "Some of the automated enforcement programs are being implemented in ways that are designed for revenue generation instead of safety." If red-light cameras are implemented properly, then they can improve safety, Finnegan said.
Contact the writer: amolina@ocregister.com or 714-704-3795.
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