Opposition to Red Light Cameras

Opposition to Red Light Cameras

Farrah Watson

COMM 215

June 6, 2011

Sally Peterson

Opposition to Red Light Cameras

Even though red light cameras decrease the severity of accidents, I am opposed to red light cameras because they increase rear-end collisions and red light camera citations are not going unpaid. Red light cameras are becoming increasingly popular in major cities nationwide. Many city officials and motorists believe the utilization of red light cameras offer many safety benefits. In this paper I will discuss the pros and the cons of the use of red light cameras in intersections.

The goal of red light cameras is to reduce intersection accidents, prevent severe injuries caused by intersection accidents, and deter dangerous driving habits. It is argued by advocates for red light cameras and law enforcement that these cameras have greatly reduced accidents in intersections where these cameras are installed. They maintain that they are necessary to save lives and stop habitual red light runners who pose a threat to public safety. Some claim that the studies conducted on the use of red light cameras prove that they not only reduce the number of intersection accidents but also reduce the severity of the accidents that do occur in intersections where the cameras are in use. Still others argue that the cities that install and use these cameras will benefit from the increased revenue generated by the citations issued to red light runners.

At first glance these arguments appear convincing. Upon closer examination, however, the position of law enforcement and advocates for the red light cameras is not entirely correct. They fail to mention that although the number of intersection accidents has been decreased, it does not point out that the number of rear-end collisions have increased in these intersections. In Albuquerque, both the number and percent of angle crashes and injury crashes decreased from January 2000 through December 2008 while the number and percent of rear-end and property damage on crashes increased. (Red Light Camera Study, October 2010). These rear-end accidents have increased due to the short stops made by drivers to avoid entering an intersection at the risk of being cited for a red light violation. Studies have also shown that the red light cameras can cause driver inattention due to drivers paying more attention to the location of cameras prior to entering an intersection. The cameras do seem to have an effect on reducing the number of injury accidents but when that factor is removed there is a moderate increase in the number of property damage collisions caused by driver inattention.

City of Albuquerque