Aurora, Colorado: Red-light cameras increased rear-end collisions 175%

By Bill Larson | March 29, 2008 |

Red light cameras in the city of Aurora, Colorado, failed to yield any reduction in the overall number of accidents since the devices were installed in May 2005. Nonetheless, city officials have approved a measure that will allow the expansion of the existing four-intersection setup to one covering up to twenty-five city locations.

The devices were successful between 2006 and 2007 in issuing 19,087 tickets worth $1,431,525. “We think there’s a value to taking the program to the next step,” Police Chief Daniel Oates told the Rocky Mountain News newspaper.

However, at three of the four ticketing locations, rear end collisions increased dramatically from 2005 to 2006. At Mississippi Avenue and Potomac, rear end collisions jumped 175 percent. At Alameda Avenue and Abilene Street, the increase was 100 percent.

Only one intersection saw a 60 percent drop in one specific type of accident, likely as a result of the statistical phenomenon known as regression to the mean. This happens when a camera is installed at a location with an unusually high number of accidents in one year. As the number of accidents returns to the “normal” level, city officials will then credit the change to their camera program.

Source: Aurora may add cameras to catch red light runners (Rocky Mountain News (CO), 3/26/2008)

Here’s some information for you compiled from various websites:

• The average commute time for Clarksville workers is 24 minutes, compared with 26 minutes nationwide. A total of 26 fatal motor vehicle accidents occurred in Clarksville between 2001 and 2003, according to reports gathered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. This is a rate of 2.5 fatal crashes per 10,000 population, which was lower than the national norm.
• In Tennessee about half of all property damage accidents result in injuries or fatalities. Since 1966 the rate of fatalities by population has fallen around 40%, by numbers of drivers over 50%, and by numbers of miles driven by almost 70%. We are driving allot more miles and yet our accidents are declining, a trend you will reverse in Clarksville if you put in red-light cameras.
• Among all tennessee motor vehicle accident deaths, about 65% were due to roadway departures, 16% were intersection related, 10% fatalities in crashes involving large trucks, and 104 nonmotorist (pedestrians and bicyclists) fatalities.

Tell our City council and Mayor that we want them to stop planning on bringing this dangerous revenue generating scheme to our town! Just say no! to traffic enforcement cameras on on our streets!

* Story courtesy of The Newspaper: A Journal of the politics of driving

About Bill Larson

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