There's a school of thought about red light cameras that goes like this: "If people suddenly start making panic stops because there are red light cameras, it will create a dangerous situation."
Obviously the cameras don't stop accidents! It is quite common for cities to also shorten the yellow light times to increase profits. Ten cities thus far have been caught. Peoria, Arizona saw accidents increase more than 100% percent with the cameras.
Not doing anything also doesn't stop accidents. But the cameras at least give us a chance to ticket the offenders, and knowing you'll be ticketed for running a red light is the only way we're going to fight this problem.
But I have no problem supporting a law to regulate the length of yellow lights to fight entrapment.
BTW, how many accidents are we talking about in Arizona? A 100% increase in accidents sounds absurdly high; please provide a link to back up that claim.
I still say "do it." The longer we wait, the worse our driving habits become. We're SUPPOSED to stop, and we're SUPPOSED to watch the car ahead of us. The study is proof that we're not driving very well.
Here's what we should do; install the cameras, and start suspending licenses. Get the bad drivers off the road so they don't ram into the ones obeying the law.
How about a three strikes law for traffic violations? THAT will keep the roads a little less crazy. Probably wouldn't hurt the environment much either.
Obviously the cameras don't stop accidents! It is quite common for cities to also shorten the yellow light times to increase profits. Ten cities thus far have been caught. Peoria, Arizona saw accidents increase more than 100% percent with the cameras.
ReplyDeleteNot doing anything also doesn't stop accidents. But the cameras at least give us a chance to ticket the offenders, and knowing you'll be ticketed for running a red light is the only way we're going to fight this problem.
ReplyDeleteBut I have no problem supporting a law to regulate the length of yellow lights to fight entrapment.
BTW, how many accidents are we talking about in Arizona? A 100% increase in accidents sounds absurdly high; please provide a link to back up that claim.
http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/28/2887.asp
ReplyDeleteWow! At one intersection, accidents increased 480 percent.
According to the article, they INCREASED the length of the yellows.
I still say "do it." The longer we wait, the worse our driving habits become. We're SUPPOSED to stop, and we're SUPPOSED to watch the car ahead of us. The study is proof that we're not driving very well.
ReplyDeleteHere's what we should do; install the cameras, and start suspending licenses. Get the bad drivers off the road so they don't ram into the ones obeying the law.
http://blog.motorists.org/6-cities-that-were-caught-shortening-yellow-light-times-for-profit/
ReplyDeleteHere's the big problem with causing fast stops at red lights - crooked towns short-timing the yellow lights!
JMJ
How about a three strikes law for traffic violations? THAT will keep the roads a little less crazy. Probably wouldn't hurt the environment much either.
ReplyDelete