Traffic-Light Cameras Cause More Harm than Good, Study Says

By Alison Gonzalez

Published on March 12, 2008

The study, which was published Wednesday in the March addition of the Florida Public Health Review, claims that red-light cameras increase crashes at intersections by causing drivers to stop suddenly.

Putting traffic cameras at Florida intersections could create even worse situations because the state has a high percentage of elderly people, who are more likely to sustain injuries or be killed in a crash, said the study’s lead author and chair of health policy and management at USF, Barbara Langland-Orban.

In the study, researchers analyzed the results of various other studies, including ones from Virginia, North Carolina, and Ontario, which concluded that traffic cameras are associated with more car accidents and higher crash costs.

The researchers said that red-light cameras are also costlier to consumers because they contribute to higher auto insurance premiums for those who are caught running red lights.

The study, which was published shortly after officials in Hillsborough County voted to allow cameras at 10 major intersections, recommends that engineers look at the timing of yellow lights instead to improve safety at intersections. Making sure that signals are visible to all motorists can also help to reduce accidents, Langland-Orban said.

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