Study: Louisiana Red Light Cameras Fail To Reduce Accidents

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by The Newspaper

A brief study published in this month’s Journal of Trauma examined whether red light cameras installed at a Jefferson Parish, Louisiana intersection caused a reduction in the number of traffic collisions. A team of medical doctors from Tulane University examined accident statistics for ten months before and ten months after the activation of cameras on October 24, 2007. The team found no statistically significant reduction in the number of accidents.

“Red light cameras do not seem to prevent traffic collisions at this monitored intersection,” the study found. “Alternative means of injury prevention must be investigated.”

Researchers examined the effect of camera use at Clearview Parkway and Veteran’s Memorial Boulevard, which State Farm insurance labeled as the ninth most dangerous intersection in the United States. The study did find that Redflex Traffic Systems, the Australian company in charge of the cameras, was able to issue fewer tickets after the installation period. From January through June 2008, however, tickets remained relatively steady at about 400 per month — enough to generate about $528,000 in annual revenue for the intersection.

“The steepest decline occurred during the initial four months of the study period,” the report found. “The mean number of citations stabilized and maintained this decrease when compared with the first half of the study.”

In the report’s brief treatment of safety statistics, researchers expressed surprise that the reductions in accidents promised by insurance industry studies failed to materialize.

“This study did not find a similar reduction in the total number of collisions,” the report stated. “This is perhaps due to the short-study period of only 10 months. Additional explanations include the absence of subset-analysis of different types of collisions, side- or front-end collisions compared with rear-end collisions. This study was designed to detect the difference in total collision episodes not the difference in types or injuries in collisions.”

Longer term, independent studies have found that red light cameras may even increase the number of accidents ( view studies). The Tulane researchers suggested that there are better alternatives to using cameras.

“Engineering counter measures have also been used to reduce red light running,” the study explained. “These include lengthening the yellow signal, dedicated turn signals and lanes, and reducing approach speeds to intersections.”

Jefferson Parish suspended its use of red light cameras earlier this year after documents revealed that Redflex paid 3.2 percent of the revenue from the camera program to lobbyist Bryan Wagner who shared the funds with the wife of District Judge Robert Murphy. The Redflex cut of the intersection above would be about $256,000. Assuming the other ten intersections in the parish would be at least as productive, Wagner was set to earn $90,000 a year from his cut of the photo tickets. Federal investigators are now looking into the matter.

Red Light Cameras: Do They Change Driver Behavior and Reduce Accidents? (Journal of Trauma, 3/22/2010)




Courtesy: Thenewspaper.com

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  • MU78 MU78 on Mar 23, 2010

    I go to New Orleans a lot since my daughter goes to Tulane and I usually stop at the Exxon station on the corner. Traffic is always heavy at the intersection since it's got one of the better shopping malls on the corner and during Mardi Gras so many parades start there. But if there were as many potholes on Veterans as their are in the neighborhoods in the Garden District everyone would be going so slow that accidents would be rare. Maybe since I'm only a visitor there I'm never in a big enough hurry to run a red light at the intersection. But the hardest thing to believe is that they only shoveled money to the wife of one judge. There is no way all those public officials there would only let one judge collect all the swag without forcing him to share the loot.

  • Maxit Maxit on Mar 23, 2010

    1) What is Steven Seagal doing in Louisiana? 2) Why is he getting ready to draw his weapon?

    • Porschespeed Porschespeed on Mar 23, 2010

      Despite his history of semi-associating with known mob types, he is sworn LEO. Has been for a long time. Really. Granted, the department has the same rep as New Orleans PD who works next door - let's just say they make Miami-Dade in the 80's look honest. Even more frightening, apparently the bottom of the reality show barrel has yet to be reached, as yes, that appears to be a capture from that 'show'.

  • Lorenzo The original 4-Runner, by its very name, promised something different in the future. What happened?
  • Lorenzo At my age, excitement is dangerous. one thing to note: the older models being displayed are more stylish than their current versions, and the old Subaru Forester looks more utilitarian than the current version. I thought the annual model change was dead.
  • Lorenzo Well, it was never an off-roader, much less a military vehicle, so let the people with too much money play make believe.
  • EBFlex The best gift would have been a huge bonfire of all the fak mustangs in inventory and shutting down the factory that makes them.Heck, nobody would even have to risk life and limb starting the fire, just park em close together and wait for the super environmentally friendly EV fire to commence.
  • Varezhka Of all the countries to complain about WTO rules violation, especially that related to battery business…
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