Red Light Cameras Reducing Crashes in Florida
Crashes are decreasing in Florida communities with red light cameras, according to a statewide report.
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More than 400 intersections in Florida have red light cameras, including a couple in Clearwater.
According to a new report by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, 56 percent of communities surveyed noticed a total reduction in crashes at intersections with red light cameras.
The numbers:
- 43 percent - noticed a reduction in side impact crashes
- 41 percent - noticed a reduction in rear-end crashes
- 56 percent - noticed a total reduction in crashes
In total, 73 agencies responded to the survey and included information between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2012.
"Agencies reported that in addition to the decrease in total crashes, traffic safety improved throughout the jurisdiction as drivers were more cautious when approaching all intersections," according to the Florida Red Light Camera Annual Report Survey - which is attached to this article.
During the surveyed period these agencies issued 999,929 Notices of Violation. Of those, 20,064 were challenged and eventually nearly 70 percent of those challenged were dismissed.
Being caught running a red light on camera comes with a $158 ticket.
Red Light Cameras in Clearwater:
In Clearwater, red light running violations at intersections with cameras have decreased each monthsince citations started to be issued. There were 1,036 in September, 907 in October and 807 in November, according to Clearwater Police.
The cameras are set up at these intersections:
- eastbound Gulf to Bay at Belcher Road
- westbound Gulf to Bay at Belcher Road
- eastbound Chestnut Street at Ft. Harrison Avenue
The state gets $100 of every ticket, and the city splits its revenues with the Arizona company that installs and maintains the cameras. Clearwater pays Redflex Traffic Systems $13,000 a month.
Related Coverage:
- Cameras Cut Red Light Running in Clearwater
- Clearwater Red-Light Cameras Spy More Than 1,000 Violators in August
- City Approves Red Light Camera Proposal
- Red Light Camera Locations in Clearwater
- Red Light Cameras Running in Clearwater
- Red Light Camera Violator of the Week: On a Boat
- Red Light Camera Violator of the Week: Cadillac Careens Through State Road 60
- Video: How Do Red Light Cameras Work?
- Red Light Camera Violator of the Week: Green Might Not Mean Go
- Red Light Cameras: Legal or Unconstitutional?
David Conkle
10:13 am on Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Ok, you cite studies by agencies and municipalities that have a vested interest in showing a decrease, however, where are the independent studies cited that show the different results? This is not just about traffic safety, it is also about increased taxation without adequate representation. When you only address one side of the aurgument in a journalistic piece, then you are creating and spreading propoganda.
Zigsauered
12:36 pm on Tuesday, January 15, 2013
These are subjective and no objective. It is something to bait reader with, but there are measurable objective studies world wide that support signal devices of all kinds actually increase human carnage. I believe the best study was done recently by the British?
Michael D.
12:44 pm on Tuesday, January 15, 2013
So we are taking surveys of people who "notice" a reduction. Not an actual verifiable number value of how many accidents occured as scientific evidence and proof something is working? That is horrible. It also goes against the scientific studies by many of the national organizations, but you know what ever works right?
Patrick K
5:59 pm on Friday, January 18, 2013
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19664425 This is a summary to the leading scientific study: Increased number of total accidents and no measurable safety benefit -- even after the author included in the meta-regression analysis a bunch of unscientific "studies" performed by the camera companies themselves!