A Richmond, Virginia accident attorney questions whether cameras at intersections designed to nab "red-light runners" are good or bad in the long term. While the revenues they generate exceed their costs of installation and maintenance, reports are out that more rear-end accidents occur at their locations.

Money Drives Traffic Intersection Cameras: Danger to Drivers Increase

I was recently surfing the Internet for interesting articles for my newsletter when I came across this site, http://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2007/05/15/traffic-enforcement-cameras-lead-to-increased-accidents-injuries-and-deaths/. The site-page states, "In 2005 the Virginia DOT found that cameras increased collisions there by 8-17%! Also a Washington Post story reported crashes at locations with cameras more than doubled [after they were installed], and that injury and fatal crashes climbed 81 percent! Yes, you read that right. The presence of these cameras make it more likely[,] not less [,] that you will be killed! T-bone collisions, rose 30 [%] during that time frame."

I do not know whether that website is accurate in its statistics or not, but it did tickle my interest in the premise --- that stationary traffic cameras are not beneficial if traffic accidents rise at the locations at which they have been installed. Why is that, you may wonder. That was the first thought I had. Then it occurred to me -- how do I react when I am close to the intersection and the light turns amber? I am not going to tell you because I can't, except to say that I think I would react lawfully.

But what about the soccer mom who already has 15 points on her DMV record trying to be June Cleaver to her kiddies, or the salesman who already has five speeding tickets on I-95 trying to get from one client to another, who both know their next ticket could result in that ESSENTIAL driving privilege being suspended or revoked? When they approach an intersection with traffic cameras -- they are easily seen, by the way -- and the light turns amber, what will they do? Probably, hit the brakes to keep from running the light and risk losing the driver's license. Perhaps to the surprise of the driver behind them who did -- or did not -- intend to follow them through the intersection.

Makes sense to me. Especially since last year I represented a client who got rear-ended by a tractor-trailer truck because the woman in front of him hit the brakes rather than run an amber light. He missed her, but the truck got him --pretty badly, too. However, I think he would have preferred the accident not to have happened at all, instead of the money he got from the truck company. I would, too. Back and neck pain is the worst --- its hard to stand, its hard to lay down, and impossible to sleep long enough.

These are trying times for everyone economically. While installing "Big Brother" cameras to catch traffic violators may be a good thing for the cities, counties and towns in Virginia to implement to save money on extra police officers, many times our elected representative forget that they represent "We, the People", and if these devices increase injury to the people -- either physically or economically -- perhaps they are not such a good thing.

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©2010 Law Chambers of Anton J. Stelly, All Rights Reserved, Reproduced with Permission
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