PRESS RELEASE DETAIL

For Immediate Release

Release Date: 02/02/2011

National Study says Red Light Cameras at Intersections Save Lives

A study released today by the Arlington, Va.-based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows that red light enforcement cameras saved 159 lives over a five-year period in 14 U.S. cities.

The study projects that 815 deaths in intersection-related accidents could have been avoided from 2004-80 if the photo enforcement cameras had been used in all 99 U.S. cities with populations over 200,000.

“Red light enforcement programs reduce the citywide rate of fatal red light running crashes, and, to a lesser but still significant extent, the rate of all fatal crashes at signalized intersections,” the study concluded. “Cities wishing to reduce fatal crashes at signalized intersections should consider red light camera enforcement.”

The researchers found that the combined per capita rate of fatal red light running crashes fell 35 percent in the 14 cities that used enforcement cameras from 2004-2008, compared to 1992-96. The rate also fell in the 48 cities without camera programs in either period, but only by 14 percent.

The rate of all fatal crashes at intersections with signals — not just red light running crashes — fell 14 percent in the cities with cameras from 2004-08, but increased by 2 percent in the cities without cameras.

"The cities that have the courage to use red light cameras despite the political backlash are saving lives," Institute president Adrian Lund said in a press release that was issued Tuesday.

In the attachment, please find a copy of the study, along with a breakdown of the accident data by city.

Baton Rouge was not included in the study because it did not start using red-light cameras until 2008.


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