It is one of our society’s greatest fears: getting involved in a traffic accident because another driver either wasn’t paying attention, or decided to be risky and run a red-light. Experts suggest that nearly 850 people die and 170,000 are injured annually in traffic accidents throughout the country.  Enforcing traffic laws has become increasingly difficult for police officers, especially in large urban areas, where the police cannot possibly be at every intersection in the community.  Moreover, when the police are present, they are often forced to follow a red-light violator through an intersection, posing an event greater risk of a collision with another motorist, pedestrian, or both.  As a result, states and local communities have turned to high-tech red light cameras in an effort to enforce traffic laws.

Red light systems generally consist of a large camera that can be mounted onto traffic lights at a particular intersection and sensors that monitor the flow of traffic.  The camera is activated when a vehicle illegally enters an intersection after a specified time when the light turns red. 

Manufacturers of the cameras charge approximately $100,000 for equipment and installation and have found an active market in the United States   Currently, 22 states, and over 200 cities, including the District of Columbia, have decided to invest in the cameras.  Several of the states have seen their traffic collisions decline dramatically since the installation of these cameras.  According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, studies conducted in Fairfax, Virginia and Oxnard, California showed that red light violations decreased 40 percent.  Moreover, in Oxnard alone, front to side collisions, the crash that commonly results from a red light violation, decreased 32 percent while injuries associated with that crash declined 68 percent.  It is this type of success that has prompted some states, like Florida, Connecticut, Hawaii, Mississippi, New Jersey, Oklahoma and Virginia to consider legislation that would officially permit the installation of red light cameras statewide.

Other areas of the country have been less enthusiastic about the use of the cameras in their community.  Concerns of privacy rights, earned profits and a rise in rear end collisions have prompted legislators in Georgia and Iowa to consider banning red light cameras entirely.  Ultimately, these bills failed in their respective state legislatures and in New Mexico, a bill that would re-direct funds generated by the cameras was vetoed by Governor Richardson.  Although manufacturers of the cameras have survived these initial tests, the criticism has fueled market-based competition as some companies have proposed changing their system to provide for less intrusive photos or a system that would provided for a longer yellow “warning” light. Meanwhile, others view their legislative success as an encouraging sign to expand their high-tech cameras to catch speeders in addition to red light violators.

Author: Kenneth C. Schwarz currently is the Director of Information Services at T3 Government Strategies, a state/ local government affairs firm.  He previously served as a staffer for the US House Committees on the Budget and Ways and Means.  Mr. Schwarz earned his bachelors degree from Indiana University and his law degree at Chapman University School of Law.

Contact Information
Kenneth Schwarz, JD
Director of Information Services,
T3 Government Strategies
621 King Street, Suite 300, Alexandria, VA  22314
Telephone (703) 299-8740
 Fax  (703) 379-1958
kschwarz@t3strategy.com
www.t3strategy.com