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Home > Photo enforcement of traffic laws -- sifting through the opinions surrounding this current trend
February 15, 2008
By: Lynn Bryant
We cannot escape them. Photo enforcement devices such as
red light and speed cameras are cropping up everywhere. This
trend of using traffic cameras for the photo enforcement of
traffic laws is becoming more widespread throughout the
United States and throughout the world. There are over 1,700
red light photo cameras installed in cities across the
United States, and in Great Britain, photo enforcement
devices are used in over 6,000 locations.
We will take a brief survey of some of the pros and cons
of using these devices for traffic surveillance to determine
how effective they really are at improving road safety.
There are both benefits and pitfalls which must be addressed
for those who would consider themselves a critical thinker
in this debate.
Benefits that can be realized by implementing photo
enforcement devices
Many officials and motorists believe utilizing speed
cameras offer many safety benefits. Two of the biggest
benefits attributed to the use of photo radar devices
include a reduction in the number of accidents and decreased
accident severity. Both of these benefits are described in
further detail below.
- Reductions in accidents -- There have been
numerous studies conducted that report convincing
statistics that reveal the effectiveness of photo
enforcement campaigns. For example, an independent study
conducted by the
Department for Transport reported that personal
injury collisions were down as much as 41 percent in
areas such as North Wales because of the implementation
of speed cameras. A former police superintendent, John
Rowling, states, "We have seen a 33 percent drop in
personal injury collisions across Mid and South Wales. I
know the cameras work."
In addition, the
Cambridgeshire Safety Camera Partnership reported
several convincing findings that emerged during 2005,
the fourth year of their study. These include:
- 55 percent reduction in the number of vehicles
breaking the speed limit at camera sites
- 45.2 percent reduction in the number of people
killed or seriously injured at camera sites
- 1.3% reduction in injury collisions at camera
sites
- Decreased severity of accidents -- Another
positive benefit many see coming from speed camera
campaigns is a reduction in the severity of accidents
that do occur. High rates of speed are often responsible
for increasing the severity of accidents, and any
efforts that are successful at reducing overall speed,
can directly reduce accident fatalities. A study
conducted by the
Highways Agency in West London in 1997 reviewed 21
speed camera locations. They noted a 55.7% reduction in
fatal accidents, which was directly attributed to the
presence of speed cameras.
Pitfalls surrounding the use of photo enforcement
devices
Not all drivers are convinced speed and red light cameras
are a benefit to our roadways. Many believe they have a
negative effect on driving behavior. Some of the common
pitfalls noted include:
- Ticketing process is full of flaws --
Automated ticketing of the registered driver of a
vehicle leaves room for error. Traffic violations that
are issued based on photo radar devices are not able to
verify the actual driver of a vehicle. This shortcoming
often means the incorrect driver is often held
responsible for paying the fine or dealing with the
headache of trying to clear the ticket. Another common
flaw cited is lost or severely delayed tickets.
- Hindrance to good driving habits - While
speed and red light camera campaigns are implemented as
a way to improve road safety, there are many that
believe these devices have the opposite effect. They
feel speed cameras can be a real distraction as driver's
worry more about looking for speed traps as opposed to
paying attention to the road and their surroundings. A
group called Safe Speed reports that the
negative effects of speed cameras is rooted in the
fact that "millions of responsible motorists began to
pay more attention to speed limit, speed enforcement,
and speed reading." This in turn means drivers have less
attention to give to potentially hazardous situations
developing on the roadways.
- No conclusive evidence to prove effectiveness
-- Contrary to published studies that claim otherwise,
many motorists believe speed cameras are ineffective at
reducing the number of traffic accidents. They believe
results have been skewed by pressure from speed camera
manufactures and governmental agencies. Groups like
Safe Speed and websites like
speedcam.co.uk are publishing studies and facts that
show a decidedly different side to speed and red light
camera campaigns.
In fact, one study done in an area of South Wales that
had 191 speed traps installed, revealed that 28 percent
of the cameras showed no change or an increase in the
number of annual accidents. Click on the following link
for more details on this study about the
failure of speed cameras in reducing car accidents.
Conclusion
While it does appear there are some positive results that
can be realized from the use of photo enforcement devices,
it seems the jury is still out. It is hard to draw a
definitive conclusion based on the vastly different opinions
on the matter. I think it is safe to say that there needs to
be some more conclusive studies conducted before more of us
are convinced that the positive results outweigh the
negative effects of such campaigns.
About the Author
Lynn Bryant is a successful freelance writer and contributor
to Video-Surveillance-Guide.com. Your definitive guide to
video surveillance equipment, CCTV cameras and wireless
security systems for home and business.
Also See:
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LukWerks home security & surveillance camera systems ]
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Setting up your own video surveillance & home security
recording system ]
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