Do Red Light Cameras Actually Keep Us Safe?

What Do Some of The Research Say?

A study in St. Petersburg Florida determined that red light camera helps decrease side collision, but it also increased rear-end collisions.

One of AAA’s New York Spokesperson Robert Sinclair key points to this topic initially was that side collision would decrease with red light cameras. He stated that some intersections need cameras because the risks are too high. He mentions that t-bone accidents, being hit by on the side, are the weakest point in the car and can lead to too many bad things.

In later reports, Sinclair addresses the issue of amber light time. Amber light is the yellow light that is there to caution drivers when the light is changing from green to red.

In Georgia, a driver is allowed to enter the intersection while the light is yellow just not after the light has already turned red.

The National Motorists Association has been challenging the idea that red light cameras are for safety.

The NMA claims that safety can be improved with better engineering where yellow lights last longer. Red light cameras are a violation of due process and are not improving road conditions according to NMA. Eric Skrum from the NMA’s states the “Red-light cameras just reward cities for bad engineering.”  

According to a study, the American Traffic Solutions statistics are showing red light cameras are more efficient than long amber time in the state of Georgia.

“Georgia witnessed 17 red-light running fatalities in 2008, 26 in 2009, 24 in 2010 and 32 in 2011. Communities with red-light cameras decreased from 27 in 2008 to 17 in 2011.”