The Trouble With Red Light Cameras
Traffic laws and regulations should be designed to ensure safety; unfortunately the current traffic laws in Maryland do not always reflect this consideration.


August 27, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Trouble With Red Light Cameras

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First and foremost, traffic laws and regulations must be designed to ensure safety. This may seem an obvious statement, but unfortunately the current traffic laws in Maryland do not reflect this consideration. Rather than focusing on the safety of drivers and passengers, it seems that the red light cameras currently in use in Maryland are primarily intended to generate revenue.

Red Light Running is a Significant Problem

The Federal Highway Administration estimates that annually more than 100,000 crashes and approximately 1,000 deaths are the result of drivers running red lights. There is no doubt that this is a significant problem and that the government should take actions to reduce these collisions.

Generally, states take two approaches to reducing the frequency of red light running: extending the length of yellow lights and adding red light cameras.

One Way to Reduce Red Light Running: Longer Yellow Lights

Researchers have found that longer yellow lights result in drivers running red lights less frequently. For example, one study by the Texas Transportation Institute found that an increase in yellow light duration of 1 second corresponds to a 40 percent reduction in crashes.

Intuitively, this makes sense. The extended time gives drivers more time to make decisions and gives drivers that are close to the light more time to make it through the light without concern. Drivers that are further away from the light have more notice that they need to stop.

Another Approach to Reducing Red Light Running: Red Light Cameras

Red light cameras have become very popular among states over the past decade, though their use is more controversial. Studies examining red light cameras have displayed mixed results. For example, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety alleges that red light cameras decrease the frequency of red light running, and thus, they support the usage of cameras.

Unfortunately for proponents of red light cameras, a 2008 report published by the University of South Florida concluded that red light cameras ultimately increase the number of crashes and injuries. Drivers may slam on their breaks to avoid running red lights and getting traffic tickets, but in many cases this increases the frequency of accidents, as this results in more rear-end collisions.

Maryland's Approach

Like many other places, local governments in Maryland have added red light cameras, allegedly in an effort to curb red light running. However, rather than increasing the duration of yellow lights to increase the safety of intersections, the durations of yellow lights in many places have been decreasing.

As studies have demonstrated, when the length of yellow lights increases, the frequency of drivers running red lights decrease. In turn, one would expect that when the length of the yellow lights decreases, the frequency of running red lights would increase. Without sufficient yellow light timing, drivers are forced into the intersection when the light turns red or forced to come to an unsafe stop.

If the goal of these cameras is to prevent drivers from running red lights, it seems counterintuitive to reduce the length of yellow lights. Accordingly, many have questioned the true motivation behind red light cameras.

Each ticket costs $75. The more often drivers run red lights, the more revenue each camera will generate. This creates perverse incentives for governments in need of additional funding. Although the revenues vary from one county to the next, it is readily apparent that red light cameras generate significant revenue for the government. For example, in the first five years of operating red light cameras, Anne Arundel County generated $2.85 million in revenue from just five cameras. These revenues can be particularly important to local governments in times when agencies are struggling with budget cuts.

The fact is, though, revenue should not be generated at the cost of safety. The research on red light cameras is inconclusive; some studies suggest that they make intersections safer, while many others suggest they cause more accidents. However, there is no debate regarding the effects of ample time for yellow lights. When drivers are given sufficient time to pass through the intersection or to stop safely, accidents and injuries decrease.

As the first line of defense against accidents and injuries, Maryland should increase the time of yellow lights. This will likely decrease the revenue generated by red light cameras, but it will also help to ensure the safety of people on Maryland roads.

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