Study Finds Traffic-Light Cameras Hazardous

In an effort to crack down on drivers who run red lights, many municipalities across the country have installed cameras at traffic lights to catch perpetrators and ship their tickets to them through the mail.

Recently, however, a study done by the University of South Florida Public Health has found that traffic cameras may cause more accidents than they prevent. This comes on top of research in Virginia, North Carolina and the Canadian province of Ontario that also seems to indicate a correlation between traffic-light cameras and increased accidents.

What’s the link? The South Florida study suggests that when drivers spot a camera during a yellow light they are more likely to slam on the brakes and perhaps be rear-ended by the driver following them. Meanwhile, red-light running accounts for less than 4% of Florida’s annual traffic deaths, so the cameras may actually be doing more harm than good.

Still, reversing the trend will be hard because of the extra cash the cameras bring to cities through tickets. Do you have traffic-light cameras in your town or city? Let us know how you feel about them in the comment section.

New Study Says Traffic-Light Cameras Cause Accidents (Autopia)