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from the but-they-do-work-to-raise-ticket-income dept.
Red-light cameras don't reduce the number of traffic accidents or injuries at intersections where the devices are installed, according a new analysis by Case Western Reserve University.
Touted by supporters as a way increase public safety by ticketing drivers who continue through red lights, the cameras actually shift traffic patterns: More drivers tend to brake harder and more abruptly, increasing fender-benders and other so-called "non-angle" collisions.
"Once drivers knew about the cameras, they appeared to accept a higher accident risk from slamming on their brakes at yellow lights to avoid an expensive traffic citation—thereby decreasing safety for themselves and other drivers," said Justin Gallagher, an assistant professor of economics at Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve.
Accidents didn't decrease, only shift.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 21 2018, @05:08AM
Around where I live, I feel the speed limits are way too generous. They were put in place before the economy soured and all these cars are parked alongside the road in front of everyone's houses, and then often miles away wherever those people who live in those high density apartments can find to park. I often see two families in an apartment that was designed for one person, two at most. And the complex has no parking for all the cars, and their homeowner neighbors are all in a snit going down to city council meetings to get permit parking in place so they can park in front of their own house. I could see the speed limit being OK for a small maneuverable sports car with young attentive driver, but for me, and old guy in a big van, there is no way I am pummeling that thing down my neighborhood streets at 25MPH. Someone pop a car door open from a parked car as I pass and I won't have any choice but flat take the door off. If the other lane is in use with other cars, I probably am clearing the cars on my right by about 18 inches or so. If one parked another large vehicle on the side, sometimes I flat have to stop until there is a break in the counter traffic so I can use part of the other lane.
And at any time, kids can dart out between the parked cars, and I do not see 'em until they are actually right in front of me.
And I would definitely love to have a longer yellow. I have a lot of inertia in this thing. If I slam forward, I emit black diesel soot, which I absolutely hate to do. I avoid doing that - this engine seems to burn quite clean unless I do that. If I drive as fast as signed, then any light flipping causes me to go into panic stops and causes all my cargo to rearrange itself. So I end up going quite a bit slower on the main roads because I flat do not have enough time to react to short yellows.