Red light cameras, redux

[unixronin]

schneier reports on the latest on red-light cameras.  I'm pretty sure no-one here will be surprised by the conclusions:

"The rigorous studies clearly show red-light cameras don't work," said lead author Barbara Langland-Orban, professor and chair of health policy and management at the USF College of Public Health.  "Instead, they increase crashes and injuries as drivers attempt to abruptly stop at camera intersections."

Comprehensive studies from North Carolina, Virginia, and Ontario have all reported cameras are associated with increases in crashes.  The study by the Virginia Transportation Research Council also found that cameras were linked to increased crash costs.  The only studies that conclude cameras reduced crashes or injuries contained "major research design flaws," such as incomplete data or inadequate analyses, and were always conducted by researchers with links to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.  The IIHS, funded by automobile insurance companies, is the leading advocate for red-light cameras since insurance companies can profit from red-light cameras by way of higher premiums due to increased crashes and citations.

The report also mentions that not only do cities and states that use red-light cameras "tamper with" yellow lights, making them shorter to increase the number of inadvertent red-light violations, but six cities — Union City, CA; Dallas, TX; Lubbock, TX; Nashville, TN; Chattanooga, TN; and Springfield, MO — have been found guilty of shortening the yellow light cycles below what is allowed by law in order to increase red-light camera profits.

Comments

[perspicuity.livejournal.com]

bring forth the class action lawsuits for every injury, accident, loss (esp life), etc. take away their profits, and reverse fine them. yes. that'll show'em.

make notes against those that passed such laws. no more office for them. actually, has anyone ever been served with an injunction to not pursue office? mmm.

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[unixronin.livejournal.com]

actually, has anyone ever been served with an injunction to not pursue office?

Hmm. That's an interesting approach. Wonder if it would work? You'd have to convince the judge that the person was unfit for office...

[perspicuity.livejournal.com]

your honor, Foo Bar has previously shown to have broken the law, causing the injury and death of others, as well as loss of property, major liability to the city and state governments for known material gains and short term personal benefits... therefore... we would like to regard this person as unfit for office, and a menace to society.

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[metahacker.livejournal.com]

We should also abolish speed limits, because those are used by crooked civil servants to generate revenue. Also, taxes.