Do Red-Light Cameras Work?
There are few issues as controversial as photographic traffic signal enforcement systems, more commonly known as “red-light cameras”. This is a technology which reeks of “Big Brother” surveillance. The impact of the technology on the rate of accidents is ambiguous, and the motivation of city leaders is often questioned since the cameras can be a significant revenue producer for municipalities. The level of cynicism in general is very high right now because of the corruption found in so many of our institutions. When researching red-light cameras, this is apparent not only with comments in blogs from the public, but also with state officials lack of trust in local authorities, and everyone’s seeming distrust of the data from the insurance industry. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), funded by automobile insurance companies, is the strongest advocate for red-light cameras. The studies from IIHS appear to be inconsistent with studies by virtually everyone else. For example
