Speed Safety Cameras

red-light safety cameras increased 135%.” (“Red-Light Running Dangers”) When the conversation of whether to have red light cameras, or not to have red light cameras arises, human fatalities should without a doubt be a top consideration. Especially when a study performed during 2011 by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that red light cameras had lowered

There is an urgent need for defensive driving that requires a skill set highly experienced drivers possess; yet, discover they were not able to avert an accident. The majority of society drives as if they’re driving on the bumper car track, costing an estimate of $152.0 billion; nonetheless when two vehicles collide they will not ricochet off one another (NSC, 2015, p 1). Each time you decide to operate a motor vehicle, you’ll encounter the reckless driver. This person runs stop signs or red lights. In Pennsylvania, they have installed the traffic camera, when you run a red light it takes a snap shot of your license plate and you’ll get a ticket in the mail and it still hasn’t deterred this action. When you take part in driving on the highway,

This just goes to show us that even with the good intentions of keeping our citizens safe, accidents happen, and we cannot control

Red-light-running camera enforcement is a relatively new technology. The cameras where implemented for use in the United States in the 1990s. The technology is available to help reduce a substantial problem that causes injuries and fatalities after a person enters a signalized intersection when displayed a red light in their traveled direction. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has defined the term "red-light-running" in Issue Brief 6 as "the act of entering, and proceeding through, a signalized intersection after the traffic signal has turned red." (Federal Highway Administration [FHWA], 2009 (6), p1) While the FHWA is a proponent of this technology, controversy has been driven by claims from opponents who cite privacy issues, maintenance concerns, and claims that the intervals for yellow/amber signals have been shortened for the sole purpose of generating funds for the states and municipalities that use the technology. Looking back at the history of the traffic signals, authorities that control them and some recent studies may allow for a better understanding of the cameras and their use today.

Rispo interviewed professor and chair of health policy and management of University of South Florida College of Public Health who said, "The rigorous studies clearly show red-light cameras don't work, instead they increase crashes and injuries as drivers attempt to abruptly stop at camera intersections." (Rispo, 2009) Many drivers who slam on their brakes to avoid the red light cameras have other drivers behind them who are not anticipating the abrupt stop and who may be following too closely, thus resulting in a rear end collision.

However, red light cameras do lessen broadside crashes (Bartley). “Some traffic signals have an all red duration, allowing a grace period of a few seconds before the cross-direction turns green”(Bartley). Some studies have even proven that more rear-end collisions occur where red light cameras have been placed, while broad-side crashes decreased, but the overall collision rate has been mixed (Bartley). In some areas, the length of the yellow phase has been increased to provide a longer warning to complement the red light camera.

Method Summary (important info only) - Students (150) were shown a video of a multiple-car accident due to one vehicle not stopping at a stop sign and then making a right turn into the main traffic. The video is less than one minute long and the multiple-car accident happens in a period of four seconds. Afterwards, the students are given a ten item questionnaire with a diagram labeling the scene. Questions asked are either about how fast the car was going when it ran the stop sign or how fast the car was going when it turned right. Seventy-five students received the stop sign question and seventy-five received the turned right question, the last question was neutral. A follow-up question shortly after asked if the students saw a stop sign.

Every person that has operated a vehicle before, or has seen a vehicle operated, understands that while driving is a very convenient mode of transportation, it can also be extremely dangerous for vehicle operators and people near the roads which vehicles are operated on. These dangers are suppressed by the rules and regulations imposed by our governments. While some laws on roadways seem to be a nuisance to drivers, they are there for a reason, to keep us safe. One specific roadway area that the government is very concerned with keeping safe would be construction zones. Currently the fines and punishments for drivers who are ticketed and/or are involved in accidents in work zones are higher than they are in regular roadway areas. The question that this essay will explore is whether or not these higher fines are appropriate.

The statistics that I have read about driving have surprised me immensely for many different reasons. The first statistics that impressed me was that one of the top causes of deaths on Utah highways was unrestrained occupants. I would’ve thought that would not even be one of the top 5 because I never really hear about people dying because they did not have their seatbelt on. Another thing I found interesting from the video “Stop the text Stop the wrecks” is that they were just out for a walk and were hit by a car. They mentioned a fact that they believe the driver did not leave their house expecting to hitting to pedestrians. I think this took great courage of that woman to say that because it is hard to accept the fact that the accident could

As we all know many accidents transpire from people not stopping at red lights. In which those drivers causing accidents put innocent people at risk. The government and engineers came together to find a way to stop accidents. Their goal was to make driving safe for both the driver and pedestrian. The solution was to produce red light cameras to every intersection. This was one of most controversial topics going around.

Seatbelts are the most effective means of reducing deaths and serious injuries in traffic crashes. The vast majority of all injuries and deaths from traffic crashes are preventable. Through my survey almost 100% of officers said that many deaths could have been prevented if they were just wearing a seatbelt. This is one ticket that anyway you look at it will help to save your life. Speeding is going any faster than the posted speed limit even one mile over. Police have to make a judgment call as to whether your excessive speed, over the posted speed limit, or your slower pace, is impeding traffic or endangering other drivers, in any way. If this is so they can pull you over and give you a ticket. It may seem like a burden at that moment, but this could save a life and help to keep you and other drivers safe to. A stop sign is a tool used to help prevent accidents from happening. A stop sign is used to control traffic and is usually found at road junctions. Stop signs instruct drivers the right of way and to ensure proper notice is taken to avoid accidents. The word stop is in white on red octagonal design. When you see one at any corner or junction people know that they must come to a complete stop, behind the line and can proceed only if the way ahead is clear. This is a simple task but not very many people do it according to Officer Burns.

Despite the controversy surrounding maximum speed limits, it is clear that the overall goal of setting the speed limit is almost always to increase safety within the context of retaining reasonable

Slow down and stop or speed up to get through it, it all depends on the distance and the speed travelling. The yellow light means to slow down, however, most people do not; they take a chance and go through it. Now after the invention and installation of red-light cameras all over the world, drivers have an even bigger decision to make. Go through the yellow light and take the chance of getting a ticket if the light turns red or try to stop regardless of the speed the car is moving. Though the reasonable answer would be to stop, it’s not that simple. A lot of drivers hesitate while driving, especially when it comes to yellow lights. So, if a driver hesitates, and decides he doesn’t want to take the chance of getting a ticket then the only other option would be to slam on the brakes and take the chance of causing an accident. This reason is one out of many to prove red light cameras to be unnecessary on the streets. An “increase of 5% in the number of injury crashes. The number of rear-end crashes turned out to have increased significantly.” (De). Not only can these cameras mess up financial situations, but now it’s causing accidents. It is crazy to think that making something “good” for the world turns out to be for the worst. Statistics show that these cameras need to be taken down and thrown in the trash. This invention was supposed to prevent accidents and it is actually causing them.

Vision Zero policies have proved effective in the United States. Minnesota, Utah and Washington State, traffic fatalities have fallen steadily since the introduction of Vision Zero-style programs in the early 2000’s; a 43% reduction in Minnesota, 48% reduction in Utah and a 40% decrease in Washington. While traffic fatalities nationwide are falling, largely due to improvements in emergency/trauma care and vehicle enhancements such as airbags, fatality rates in Vision Zero states fell over 25% faster than the nation since 1997.

Do speed cameras save lives, or are they a nuisances? Ways of measuring vehicle speeds has been around for centuries to prevent road accidents and keep people using the roads safely. The idea of speed cameras has been around since the early 20th century, the company Gastometer BV which was founded by Maurice Gatsonides (a Dutch rally driver, born February 14 1911) invented the first speed camera to measure and monitor his speed on the track as so to better and improve his driving and to help him improve his lap time as he was a rally driver. The first speed measuring device was introduced in the 1960s which used film cameras to take the law breakers pictures and from there we’ve seen the speed measuring devices flourish, the first gatso (speed cameras official name) in the UK was installed in 1992 at Twickenham Bridge in surrey. Now in society there are all kinds of different speed cameras from mobile (Mini Gatso, Radar guns, Laser guns, DS2) to fixed devices (Gatso, Truvelo, SPECS, Vector, HADECS 3) in total there are over 13 types of speed cameras