Prev Next
Featured Quizzes
Politix Daily Headlines
Featured Debates
Issues

See all 17 issues

People
White House

See all people

UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES

Rear-End Crashes Up 20% at Jersey Intersections With Red Light Cams

'What we are doing is making people paranoid,' says one NJ politician

Next>

by Dain Fitzgerald

Staff Writer t

Image: Motor Trend

Efforts to rein in car crashes via red-light cameras appear to be backfiring in New Jersey, reports the state's Courier Post, with the emphasis on "back."

Rear-end collisions have gone up 20% at intersections where red-light cameras have been in place for at least a year. That's according to the Department of Transportation, which helped launch a pilot program in the Garden State in 2009 to test the effects of the cameras, which photograph people failing to make stops. And while the overall number of traffic citations have gone down, it would seem to have come at the price of a shattered bumper.

"Any rational person would conclude that the program has failed," said New Jersey State Assemblyman Declan O'Scanlon. "What we are doing is making people paranoid, causing them to slam on the brakes at the slightest hint a light might change."

Still, the DOT is defending the program, which has not yet completed its five year stint. A spokesperson for the agency said the data that's come in so far, while not encouraging, is "too limited to draw any definitive conclusions."

Via the Courier Post.
Like this article? B Vote Up
?

Do you think red light cameras have a beneficial effect on road safety?

Comments (view in Forum)

  • Neo_NtheMatrix
    !
    Maybe if liberals paid more attention to driving instead of worrying about changing the station on their loud radio system there wouldn't be so many rear end collisions.
  • u
    Cheenoguy
    !
    @Neo_NtheMatrix
    Maybe if Republicans paid more attention to the road and less to their spit cups we would have less accidents.
    BTW, I keep the NPR at a reasonable level at all times.
  • Kptpredsfan
    !
    its a pro vs. con thing in our town. The number of FATAL accidents dropped slightly, but the number of TOTAL accidents went up. I also got a ticket from one of these silly cameras while making a totally legal right turn on a red light. Good idea, but very bad in practice at least in my town.
  • artjeb
    !
    At the red light, did you make a COMPLETE STOP ?
    If not the camera sees that & its a trafic infraction resulting in a citation.
  • Kptpredsfan
    !
    @artjeb oh yeah complete stop, blinker on, the camera just goes off if anything goes thru it in any way when red....at least it did back then...the city got the pants sued off of them about those things and the problems "magically disappeared"
  • Denizen_Kate
    !
    @marine1 - Agreed. They are just another "Big Brother" tactic, and thought currently only used to generate revenue, but who knows how else they will use them? Or should I say abuse?

  • View all 7 replies >

  • u
    seedtick
    !
    This just goes to show that people are more interested in "making it thru" once the yellow light is seen and are not driving safely...if they were they could stop whenever necessary. They seem to be watching the traffic signal rather than the vehicle in front of them.
    But, with that said, it is still hard to have "big brother" watching your every move. You must wonder what comes next. With so many cities implementing traffic cameras, it makes one want to never go to town. It makes you feel like they are "out to gitcha."
  • DyingBreed
    !
    The cameras are clearly detrimental to road safety. However, they are also an easily justifiable source of income for the state - and for that reason they will likely stay.
  • u
    truthseeker
    !
    Nope.....it has nothing to do with that anyway. It's just another way of generating revenue. It's also unconstitutional and can be challenged and beat.
  • OpEn_MiNdEd
    !
    @FFX_VA Yeah why not :D... Lets add Superstorm Sandy to that list too. Obama can fake his citizenship, so he can probably control the weather too right?? LOL...
  • o
    Sonny
    !
    If by that you mean, that they generate boat loads of money for the government entity that installed them, then I guess you may be right.
  • bsking
    !
    @Sonny no I mean once you go through 1 and get the ticket in the mail you're much more careful to stop the next time you approach that particular intersection. and that's the reason for the uptick in rear end collisions... because the people who are stopping already got the ticket once... and the people who are hitting into them are used to running that red light
  • u
    nomocrap
    !
    As a police officer I am offended by speed cameras. In Tennessee the way the law is written if you go through the red light you are guilty and the judge has no ability to reduce or drop the charge regardless of circumstances. The camera has taken away common sense and the officers ability to use discretion when issuing citations. I know of one instance when a vehicle went through a red light because there was a pedestrian who started to step out in the road in front of the car at the last minute. The driver (properly) was watching the pedestrian as she was maneuvering the car to miss the pedestrian. When she looked back up the light was yellow and she didn't have time to stop. She ran the red light by 0.52 seconds. Yes that is half a second. I would equate that to writing a speeding ticket for doing 3 miles an hour over. Ridiculous right? The judge found "That a violation had occurred" and found her guilty. The other issue I have with them is the camera company gets half the fine for every ticket written. That is total nonsense. If a state is going to use the cameras they should be purchased or leased for a flat fee. The camera company is making money for every ticket which could easily lead to abuse.
  • hwyangel
    !
    I agree. Especially if it's a fast changing light. It takes a truck alot longer to get through the intersection, and once I get within 100ft I'm committed to it.
  • Denizen_Kate
    !
    @nomocrap, thank you. Finally a voice of reason backed by authority and experience.

    "The other issue I have with them is the camera company gets half the fine for every ticket written." I didn't know that, thanks for the information. If I ever get a camera-issued citation, I may take it to court on those grounds alone.
  • u
    classychazy
    !
    My community tried this for a year and the samething happened. Everyone was so out raged 9,000 people showed up for a city counsel meeting the next week the were all taken down.
  • Fishbone345
    !
    No, I do not. The type of person that doesn't obey traffic laws is never going to.
    Studies have been done to show that the average driver will go the normal speed limit, whether signs are posted or not. Speeders aren't curbed by the constant reminder regardless how many times.
    How about, not turning our co
  • u
    tomincali
    !
    these cameras are all over my town and i haven't heard anything like this. seems more of a case of some unfit to drive. worried about cameras they must hide inside the house,or step outside look up and wave to google earth
  • R Load more comments...