Study claims cameras make motorists safer
AOL News reports that red light cameras do not seem so save as many lives as claimed. Red light cameras photograph the driver or license plate of automobile going through an intersection during a red light. Then, the mail delivers a ticket. This can go to the driver or the owner of the care. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recently released a research claiming traffic cameras reduced fatalities, citing that 14 cities with the cameras experienced reduced fatalities in crashes between 1996 and 2004 that involved one automobile running a red light. There weren’t red light cameras in 99 cities. About 48 of them, reports MSNBC, also experienced fewer fatal accidents during that time. More rear end collisions occur with the cameras, some evidence suggests, because they're distracting. The Federal Highway Administration found in 2005 that rear-end collisions increased by almost 15 percent at red light camera equipped intersections, with a 25 percent increase in injuries.
Mellow yellow
Motorists are able to slow down easier when you will find longer lasting yellow lights which decreasing traffic accidents. One study in Texas found that an additional second of yellow light reduces accidents in which a motorist runs a red light by 40 percent, and information on the National Motorists Association website cites studies in which incidents of running red lights drop off drastically when the length of time on yellow is increased. There was a 92 percent decrease in red lights being run in Loma Linda, California.
The bottom line
Cities get a lot of revenue from tickets. About a 3rd of the revenue from red light cameras goes to the company that installs and maintains it. Still, about $1 million a year in revenue comes from these cameras for the cities. States typically require 4 second “yellow lights.” This is the minimum. However, several municipalities that installed the cameras were found to have calibrated yellow lights to last three seconds. Less time for drivers to react means a greater chance they'll run a red light and get ticketed.
Citations
MSNBC
msnbc.msn.com/id/41362910/ns/us_news-life
MSNBC
msnbc.msn.com/id/23710970/?GT1=43001
AOL News
autos.aol.com/article/red-light-camera-study-statistics/
Resource for this article - Red light cameras may not work as well as hoped by Car Deal Expert.
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