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Denver Must Prove Red-Light Cameras Improve Safety
An anonymous reader writes "An audit of accidents at Denver intersections where red light cameras were installed versus increasing the length of the yellow light shows little difference in the results. In a case of putting the public ahead of the corporation, the Denver auditor is recommending canceling the red light camera program unless the city can prove a public-safety benefit." I hope that private citizens offering analysis or recommendations are treated fairly.
...but driving quite a bit nearby in Boulder, CO, I LOVE the red light cameras. They're one of the only things the traffic engineers and enforcement folks have done right.
The yellow lights are as long as they've ever been as far as I can tell, but there were a few problem intersections in town where 4-5 cars per lane would continue on through after the light had turned red. It was really out of control, frequently making folks who were turning left at a green arrow signal miss their opportunity to turn. The problem has been almost nonexistent since those cameras were put in around those intersections. They are very conspicuous and there are plenty of big signs warning drivers of the red light camera ahead, and they also don't trip unless someone enters the intersection a couple seconds after the light turns red, making it pretty obvious the city isn't out just to surprise motorists & drum-up revenue with tickets, but want to make sure that people just start heeding the signals. I can't even remember the last time I saw someone trigger one.
If they were evaluating the efficacy of the cameras here, I'd be attending the meetings and voicing my support. It's the way this sort of enforcement should be done, it targets only those scofflaws who misbehave because they think their hurry is more important than everyone else driving the roads and it's okay to break the law when they don't think there's a cop watching. Has it made the intersections safer? Almost certainly. Does it keep traffic flowing more smoothly? You bet. Does it reduce road rage? I'd wager it does.