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People don't learn and human nature never changes expecting 100% of people to simply stop running red lights is absurd and is never going to happen. If saving lives and preventing injury is REALLY the goal and not simply generating more income for government to waste there are things that can be done, red light cameras aren't one of them. If cities made yellow lights longer and had more overlap of red in both/all directions there would be fewer crashes too and would cost nothing, but also less income for government so they'll never go for that - money trumps safety.
I don't think that would work. Those abusing the law would adjust knowing they had more time.
Better yet, why do we have so many "lights" period? US Civil engineers have never heard of 'roundabouts' apparently. The only time I ever really see them is in newer residential developments. Roundabouts decrease travel time and the likelihood of dangerous accidents at intersections.
The budgets can't pay for changing existing intersections unless they're already planned on being renovated.
I've seen several such renovated and it is interesting. One was a 4-lane vs 4-lane inside a major campus, (gets HEAVY traffic), and after about 3 months it had to be reworked to make it simpler, and lots of graphics added, because the local drivers has such limited experience with roundabouts.
In North Carolina, a bit less than 10 years ago, stop light cameras were installed in several cities. Like most, the politicians allowed private firms to install and operate them, each group keeping a share of the revenue. All good for the cities as it cost them nothing and got them $$$, and helped with safety (or so they said).
Just how politically advantageous (over economically) became clear when someone got around to reading the state's constitution. It mandated all traffic fines be paid into the state's educational budget. IE: the private firms keeping a share, and the cities the rest, were both unconstitutional. In a very short time, the vast majority of cameras disappeared.
If they were really helping safety, the local politicians would have used that to justify keeping the cameras on. Since they were removed, quickly, it was plain just how much safety played in their decisions.
Now, there are a very few left and are paid and operated by the city and located at intersections that are obviously very dangerous ones, acting as deterrents, not cash generators.
The state of Georgia legislature passed a law requiring any intersection that had a red light camera to have one second added to the yellow time. Since 90% of red light violations occur in less than one second, revenue dried up and so did the camera companies.
Florida attempted to pass a similar law last year but it didn't even get out of a committee hearing. It was stopped lobbyists and camera companies. They have a lot of money to spread around to camera supporters.
They also stopped a bill that would fix the right turn problem. $40% of revenue comes from right turns because you get a violation notice even if you stop but over the white light. The revenue collectors want you to stop twice. Once before the white line and again after the white line to look for traffic approaching.
In DC about a decade or 2 ago, they put up red light cams but programmed them so that it goes from yellow to red very quickly. Drivers see yellow, think they're fine, but then they approach the intersection when it turns red, and get fined. Sneaky way to fine motorists. However, the motorists caught on quickly that when you see yellow, you need to stop. Not everyone knew this, and while those in the know slammed on their brakes when they saw a yellow light, the folks behind them didn't, and rear ended those that did stop abruptly. People complained that this was causing many more accidents, and they finally changed the yellow light duration to something longer and normal.
People don't learn and human nature never changes expecting 100% of people to simply stop running red lights is absurd and is never going to happen. If saving lives and preventing injury is REALLY the goal and not simply generating more income for government to waste there are things that can be done, red light cameras aren't one of them. If cities made yellow lights longer and had more overlap of red in both/all directions there would be fewer crashes too and would cost nothing, but also less income for government so they'll never go for that - money trumps safety.
What, a solution that makes sense? Get out of here.
Any traffic light with a camera should be forced by law to put one of those countdown clocks that tell you how many seconds you have until it turns red. The worst thing about red light intersections is having to decide whether to push through or not, how long is the yellow etc. Its a well known fact that some places speed up the yellow light to make money, so its not like a regular intersection. If you stop early then you risk being hit, but going through puts you at the mercy of these thieves. I hate them, they should not exist period. Your best bet with red light intersections is to learn where every one of them is in your area, then avoid them. It has been suggested your chances of being rear ended in a camera intersection are higher. They are dangerous and you as a driver cannot win.
Better yet, why do we have so many "lights" period? US Civil engineers have never heard of 'roundabouts' apparently. The only time I ever really see them is in newer residential developments. Roundabouts decrease travel time and the likelihood of dangerous accidents at intersections.
Amen to the "so many lights" aspect. I've noticed that myself. You will be on the "primary" road with all of these pittly-pip-squeak narrow roads intersecting and they will have lights at those tiny roads, making tons of cars stop on the "primary" road for one piddly car on those side-roads. It's ridiculous, and I think it's a key reason so many people run red lights.
If you're on a "primary" road, you ought to be able to go 2-3 miles straight through without stopping. The cars on the little piddly roads--tough luck. Wait. You're not important enough to make 100 cars stop. Go when you get a chance. If that's 10 minutes, then tough--you wait, the entire 10 minutes. The good thing is, you know that, once you DO manage to get on the "primary" road, you won't have to stop for awhile.
Design it that way, and you won't have so many people running red lights.
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