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Studies

by Mike Masnick

Thu, Jan 27th 2005 10:04pm





Virginia Gov't Admits Traffic Cameras Increase Accidents

from the whooops dept

Bob Dole writes "Although less than 4 percent of traffic accidents are caused by red light running, cities and the insurance industry insist there is an urgent need for automated camera enforcement for safety purposes. Yet according to a a new study by the Virginia Transportation Research Council, Virginia experienced a "definite" increase in overall injury accidents where cameras were used. In the county with the most accurate data, that increase was between 7 and 24 percent. The report suggests there is a "possible" decrease in angle accidents. So camera boosters are now relegated to claiming cameras merely rearrange accidents, trading one type of crash for another. There's no escaping the bottom line, however. With cameras you get more injuries, not more safety. The report offers good news for Virginia motorists: you can ignore tickets mailed to your home. They aren't valid unless personally served." We wrote about some other studies concerning red light cameras recently as well.

7 Comments | Leave a Comment

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  1.  
    identicon
    dorpus, Jan 28th, 2005 @ 3:51am

    Outlaw Agenda

    Seems to me that people who make the most noise about traffic enforcement are those who break the rules.

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  2.  
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Jan 28th, 2005 @ 5:00am

    No Subject Given

    The bit about ignoring the tickets in the mail, that is partially true. I am not famaliar with Virginia exactly, but federally and in at least a few states, the defendant can choose to waive the service requirement and accept the notice via mail. Why would they do that? Because if they do not waive the service requirement, then they have to pay the costs of service.

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  3.  
    identicon
    slim, Jan 28th, 2005 @ 7:58am

    No Subject Given

    Traffic cameras will become a thing of the past the first time some enterprising individual thinks about the HUGE PAYDAY he will make when rear-ended at one of these.

    1) Hire shyster
    2) Argue that if the camera wasn't there, the accident wouldn't have happened
    3) Point to the state's own statistics showing rear-end accidents went UP after the camera was installed
    4) Explain to a jury that doesn't like the damn things how the state KNEW accidents would go up, but didn't take the camera's out.
    5) Give the attorney 30% of the $50 million verdict.
    6) Move to Monaco
    7) Get three blonde girlfriends.
    8) Party like it's 1999.

    Game over baby.

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  4.  
    identicon
    dorkus, Jan 28th, 2005 @ 10:50am

    Re: Outlaw Agenda

    Seems to me that people who make the most noise about traffic enforcement are those who are innocent.

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  5.  
    identicon
    Arlington Taxpayer, Jan 28th, 2005 @ 11:57am

    No Subject Given

    Visit http://www.motorists.org/ when you get sufficiently frustrated with money-making speed traps.

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  6.  
    identicon
    jeff, Jan 28th, 2005 @ 1:03pm

    No Subject Given

    I dont understand why having a camera causes accidents. Is that because you see the camera and you speed up? Or does looking up at the camera make you pose, thereby taking your eyes off the road?

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  7.  
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Jan 28th, 2005 @ 1:28pm

    Re: No Subject Given

    No, it's...
    1) Abruptly stop
    2) Comb hair
    3) Straighten clothing
    4) Put on makeup (if needed)
    5) Get green stuff out of teeth from lunch
    6) Pose

    But it is #1 that usually get you.

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]


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