According to yahoo news, there is a study that shows that red light cameras have been helping to reduce the number of car crashes. This study was conducted by the Insurance institute for highway safety.
A lot of drivers who drive around through intersections with camera lights tend to be much more cautious then if there was no camera present. This is simply due to the face when these lights take a picture of the car’s license plate, the driver is then mailed a ticket that goes to straight to his/her house. Running yellow lights that are about to turn red is becoming much more rare when camera lights are present in the scene.
In the past few years I have seen a great jump in camera lights that are present in many busy intersections. The only problem with these intersection with lights is the fact that many of these locations are extremely busy during rush hour. This makes the drivers much more nervous about when to go and when to stop. They already know that they are not allowed to block an intersection, but sometimes it is hard to predict the possibility of a an intersection clearing up in time for the green light.
According to the article there is signs that show that red light cameras can cost less money than a police officer who is there to enforce the rules of stoplights. This does not cost the government as much money as they used to. This costs less many and makes it easier for cars speeding through intersections to be caught by an always on patrol camera.
However there is still the other side of argument. Some groups such as the ACLU, claim that the cameras do not act as well as an officer since it is not a human but a computer instead. These cameras do not show mercy. There is no grace to those who speed ahead. I have seen many people in my town slam their breaks before an intersection right when they saw the lights turn yellow. It can be quite stressing for many drivers.
I still try to find many ways away from crossing the intersections of the camera light intersections where many of these camera light intersections do exist. The fine for getting your license plate pictured is unbearable to handle with accordance to all the other expenses I have to pay right now.
Though many are saying that camera lights are helping traffic go smoother in the intersections, I do think it gives many drivers more stress and anxiety while driving in rush hour. Sure many people try to run red lights, but that does not mean that people who follow the rules should be penalized as well.
Camera lights are still being built more and more as the years go by. We are relying more and more upon technology. There may be a day where all intersections have camera lights. For now though, I am just going to try to find detours away from those annoying intersections.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110201/ap_on_re_us/us_red_light_cameras_fatalities;_ylt=Amb4tiB6fAc9cSKklwzu7bZH2ocA;_ylu=X3oDMTQyZDlmazhiBGFzc2V0Ay9zL2FwLzIwMTEwMjAxL2FwX29uX3JlX3VzL3VzX3JlZF9saWdodF9jYW1lcmFzX2ZhdGFsaXRpZXMEY2NvZGUDbXBfZWNfOF8xMARjcG9zAzYEcG9zAzYEc2VjA3luX3RvcF9zdG9yaWVzBHNsawNzdHVkeWZpbmRzcmU-
I dont think that red lights would really help.
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