subject: Are Red Lights Cameras Necessary? [print this page] Red lights cameras have been introduced to reduce red light running. Statistics show that 800 people die each year and another 200 000 are injured in accidents which have been caused after a driver has crossed the intersection while the red lights have not changed to green. These cameras take photographs of vehicles crossing the intersection and thus the police can know very well which car was guilty of red light running. It monitors the flow of traffic at the crossings and it automatically catches the car which crosses the speed limit or drives past when the signal is still red. The date, time and the speed of the vehicle are recorded along with the time when the signal turned red, are recorded. Based on this evidence, the drivers are mailed a traffic ticket which tells them which law they have violated. There are many fines and punishments associated with these tickets.
Drop in Traffic Violations
It has been observed that red lights cameras have been very effective in controlling traffic violations. Studies show that Fairfax in Virginia and Oxnard in California witnessed a drop in traffic violations by 40% after these cameras were installed. Surprisingly, most motorists slow down at traffic intersections and cross only when green at all intersections irrespective of whether there is a camera or not. This shows that there was a general change in the behavior of the driver who did not depend on the red light only to slow down. Many other countries throughout the world have also reported a drop in traffic violations after these devices were installed.
Drop in Right Angle Collisions
However, there is not much data about the fall in the accident rate after these red lights cameras were enforced. This is more important and it is expected that when people obey the rules, there is very little chance of right angle collisions which usually occurred due to red light running. Some rear-end crashes were reported as the driver bumped into the car in front when he stopped suddenly at an intersection. This can be attributed to the non-uniform driving style in the drivers of the cars.
More Law Abiding Citizens
There have been many studies across the world about the reduction in the number of right-angle collisions after the red lights cameras were enforced. There has been great lessening in the red light running cases with New York city reporting a lessening by 10% which is quite significant. Essex in United Kingdom has witnessed a fall by a whopping 88% which shows how these cameras have helped people maintain law on the streets. There have been some reports of rear end crashes in some cities but the statistics are not much as compared with the drop in right angle collisions.
Support for These Cameras
This study was undertaken first in Oxnard, California but slowly spread to other cities across the globe. The findings have greatly encouraged the law makers to install these red lights cameras in more cities so that accidents can be prevented leading to safer roads.
