Red Light Cameras Reduce Right-angle and Rear-end Crashes

Red light running is a frequent cause of motor vehicle crashes and injuries. A primary countermeasure for red light-running crashes is police traffic enforcement. In recent years, many police agencies have begun using automated red light cameras as a supplement to con- ventional enforcement methods. A Level I trauma center collaborated with the city police department division of traffic safety to analyze red light camera crash and traffic data. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of red light cameras at inter- sections in decreasing right-angle and rear-end crashes.

During the study period 2005 through 2011, red light cameras were installed at nine intersections considered problematic by police traffic safety division, the Level I trauma center, and the public in a medium-sized Tennessee city. Six red light cameras provided data over the over the entire 6-year study period. Three additional cameras were installed at separate locations later in the study period. The numbers of right-angle and rear-end crashes per year at each intersection and the average intersection traffic in cars per day were recorded. x2 and Student's t test were used for statis- tical analysis of categorical and continuous data with P < 0.05 determining significance.