Red Light Cameras

December 14, 2010 12:23 PM

A red light camera setup is shown Wednesday Sept. 29, 2010 in Los Angeles. An audit by the Los Angeles city controller finds that red-light cameras haven’t shown to improve public safety. The audit released Wednesday blames police for not adequately compiling statistics at the 32 intersections where red light cameras are installed, making it difficult to conclude whether they are effective. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

tom

channel 9 news had a report about this and the comment was made that the public feels ‘it is unfair’ because it causes accidents by stopping short and getting rear ended! * if you weren’t speeding and trying to race the yellow light, you would not be in a position to stop short, causing the accident! the light is there to enforce and every excuse made by the public is just another way to avoid responsibility. imagine that!

john

Also, if people were not following so closely they would not be in position to rear-end anyone. Why are we always in such a @*^%#$ rush?

Alessandro Machi

Channel 2 news keeps snarkily mentioning that Reporter David Goldstein did a report and found that traffic accidents went up because of the traffic cameras. I think KCBS and Mr. Goldstein are wrong.

The traffic cameras record every accident, not all accidents that happened at the same intersections before cameras were used were reported nor did the police show up, therefore it’s like comparing apples and oranges.
Alessandro Machi

What happened to the rest of the article? SOME People DO run red lights, the do it for sport, for excitement, or just because. Some people also don’t pull over when ambulances or fire trucks with sirens blazing go by.

Mr. Goldstein has made a BIG mistake with his conclusion. You just can’t compare how many official accidents happened BEFORE a camera was installed at a light because the police do not always come out when an accident happens.

Did Mr. Goldstein compare fatalities at that these intersections before and after the cameras were installed, that is probably the one statistic that would be more accurate before and after a camera was installed.