Red light camera programs in 79 large US cities saved nearly 1,300 lives through 2014, researchers from the 7120 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) have found. Shutting down such programs has cost lives, with the rate of fatal red-light-running crashes shooting up 30 per cent in cities that have turned off cameras.
Red-light-running crashes caused 709 deaths in 2014 and an estimated 126,000 injuries. Red light runners account for a minority of the people killed in such crashes. Most of those killed are occupants of other vehicles, passengers in the red-light-running vehicles, pedestrians or cyclists.
Previous research has shown that red light camera enforcement leads to declines in red-light-running violations and crashes at camera-equipped intersections, as well as nearby spill-over locations.
IIHS researchers looked at the 57 cities of 200,000 or more people that activated cameras between 1992 and 2014 and didn't shut them off. They compared the trends in annual per capita fatal crash rates in those cities with the trends in 33 cities that never had cameras. After accounting for the effects of population density and unemployment rates, the researchers found there were 21 per cent fewer fatal red-light-running crashes per capita in cities with cameras than would have occurred without cameras and 14 per cent fewer fatal crashes of all types at signalised intersections.
As expected, the cameras have their biggest effect on red-light-running crashes. However, the analysis shows they reduce other types of fatal intersection crashes as well. Drivers may be more cautious in general when they know there are cameras around. In addition, red-light-running fatalities may be undercounted.
When applied to all 57 cities, as well as 22 cities that started and ended camera programs, the lower intersection crash rate translates into 1,296 lives saved during the years the cameras were operational.
The second part of the study looked at 14 cities that ended their camera programs between 2010 and 2014 and compared trends in annual crash rates in those cities with trends in crash rates in 29 cities in the same regions that continued their camera programs. The fatal red-light-running crash rate was 30 percent higher in cities that turned off cameras than it would have been if the cameras remained on. The rate of fatal crashes at signalised intersections was 16 per cent higher, which researchers say translates into an estimated 63 deaths that would have been prevented in the 14 cities if they had not turned off their cameras.
According to IIHS President Adrian Lund, the study confirms that cameras reduce fatal crashes and for the first time quantifies the effect that ending these programs has on safety.
Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) executive director Jonathan Adkins said the research reinforces prior studies finding a correlation between red light cameras and safety gains, including a recent evaluation of red light camera programs in Delaware that showed a reduction in dangerous T-bone crashes at intersections equipped with cameras.
Red-light-running crashes caused 709 deaths in 2014 and an estimated 126,000 injuries. Red light runners account for a minority of the people killed in such crashes. Most of those killed are occupants of other vehicles, passengers in the red-light-running vehicles, pedestrians or cyclists.
Previous research has shown that red light camera enforcement leads to declines in red-light-running violations and crashes at camera-equipped intersections, as well as nearby spill-over locations.
IIHS researchers looked at the 57 cities of 200,000 or more people that activated cameras between 1992 and 2014 and didn't shut them off. They compared the trends in annual per capita fatal crash rates in those cities with the trends in 33 cities that never had cameras. After accounting for the effects of population density and unemployment rates, the researchers found there were 21 per cent fewer fatal red-light-running crashes per capita in cities with cameras than would have occurred without cameras and 14 per cent fewer fatal crashes of all types at signalised intersections.
As expected, the cameras have their biggest effect on red-light-running crashes. However, the analysis shows they reduce other types of fatal intersection crashes as well. Drivers may be more cautious in general when they know there are cameras around. In addition, red-light-running fatalities may be undercounted.
When applied to all 57 cities, as well as 22 cities that started and ended camera programs, the lower intersection crash rate translates into 1,296 lives saved during the years the cameras were operational.
The second part of the study looked at 14 cities that ended their camera programs between 2010 and 2014 and compared trends in annual crash rates in those cities with trends in crash rates in 29 cities in the same regions that continued their camera programs. The fatal red-light-running crash rate was 30 percent higher in cities that turned off cameras than it would have been if the cameras remained on. The rate of fatal crashes at signalised intersections was 16 per cent higher, which researchers say translates into an estimated 63 deaths that would have been prevented in the 14 cities if they had not turned off their cameras.
According to IIHS President Adrian Lund, the study confirms that cameras reduce fatal crashes and for the first time quantifies the effect that ending these programs has on safety.
Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) executive director Jonathan Adkins said the research reinforces prior studies finding a correlation between red light cameras and safety gains, including a recent evaluation of red light camera programs in Delaware that showed a reduction in dangerous T-bone crashes at intersections equipped with cameras.
