Study: Cameras Reduce Red-Light Running

Jan. 30, 2013

Jan. 30, 2013— Red-light-running rates decline at intersections equipped with cameras, according to a new study released by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

The study, which was conducted at intersections in Arlington, Va., also found that the decreases were particularly large for violations happening 1.5 seconds or longer after the light turned red.

The yearlong study found that one year after the start of ticketing, the odds of a red-light violation at camera locations were down 39 percent, and violations occurring at least one second after the light turned red were 48 percent less likely. Furthermore, violations occurring more than 1.5 seconds into the red phase fell 86 percent.

"What these numbers show is that those violations most likely to lead to a crash are reduced the most," said Anne McCartt, senior vice president for research at IIHS and the study's lead author. "The longer the light has been red when a violator enters an intersection, the more likely the driver is to encounter a vehicle traveling in another direction or a pedestrian."

The number of U.S. communities using red-light cameras has grown to about 540 as studies linking the devices to improved safety have emerged.

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