Help Us Stop Short Yellow Lights
November 12th, 2008 Posted in NMA, Red-Light Cameras, Traffic TicketsThe National Motorists Association Foundation is organizing a national grassroots effort to publicize and discourage the practice of using traffic signals with short yellow durations as revenue generators at red light ticket camera intersections. The Stop Short Yellow Lights Project will prove how widespread and pervasive this practice is.
What is the Stop Short Yellow Lights Project?
The NMA Foundation has long known that the exploitation of short yellow light times is a common practice in communities using red light ticket cameras. The Stop Short Yellow Lights Project is designed to identify and publicize the locations where the use of short yellow light timing is being used to bolster ticket camera revenue.
How Will Short Yellow Lights Be Identified?
Everyday citizens will be the engine that drives this grassroots effort.
To get involved, people near red-light camera installations will simply use a stopwatch to time the length of the yellow lights. If the yellow light duration appears to be dangerously short, the NMA Foundation will dispatch a trained, objective traffic engineer to confirm the traffic light timing.
Once confirmed, the NMA Foundation will publicize its findings and encourage local officials to take appropriate corrective action. If necessary, legal action may be taken.
What Does The Duration Of A Yellow Light Have To Do With Accident Prevention?
The positive effect of increasing the yellow light time at a troublesome intersection (an increase of one second can reduce violations by 50%) is undisputed by even the most zealous supporters of red-light cameras. Nevertheless, despite clear evidence that is unsafe to do so, several cities have been caught shortening yellow light times to increase red-light camera profits.
How Do Short Yellow Lights Increase Red-Light Camera Profits?
Properly timed yellow lights accommodate the normal perception and reaction times of drivers, as well as the time it takes to safely stop or proceed through the intersection. Deliberately shortening the yellow light duration significantly increases the number of red light violations (and intersection collisions) and thereby the number of citations and revenue are also increased, often dramatically.
Because short yellow lights lead to increased revenue, the incentive to shorten yellow light times is strong for both the red-light camera vendors and the cities that authorize the use of these devices.
What Are The Objectives Of The Stop Short Yellow Lights Project?
- Identify locations where short yellow lights are being used at intersections employing red light ticket cameras.
- Publicize these locations and point out dangers of using short yellow lights to boost the revenue from red light ticket cameras.
- Promote state legislation requiring proper minimum standards for yellow light durations.
- Eliminate the use of short yellow lights for any purpose, including revenue generation for corporate or governmental interests.
For more information on the project, please visit www.shortyellowlights.com.
Note: Please do not post results in the comments section below. There is a form on the project’s website for that purpose.
Other Related Articles
6 Responses to “Help Us Stop Short Yellow Lights”
By Speed Trap Hunter on Nov 20, 2008
Our problems have only just begun:
http://veilguy.blogspot.com/2008/11/napolitano-head-of-homeland-security.html
http://veilguy.blogspot.com/2008/11/speed-cameras-for-economic-fascism-not.html
This is going to get much worse before it gets better…
STH
By Todd on Nov 19, 2008
To Marie
This time I can answer your question on “How many seconds is considered a “short” yellow light?”
Do you remember when I said “Determining whether or not the yellow light time is appropriate depends on the relationship between the speed limit for that particular road and the yellow light duration” in my last comment. Well here it is. For speeds of 25 mph or less a 3.0 sec yellow light time is right, 30 mph should have a 3.5 yellow light time, 35 mph should have a 4.0 yellow light time, 40 mph should have a 4.5 yellow light time, 45 mph should have a 5.0 yellow light time, 50 mph should have a 5.5 yellow light time, and 55 mph should have a 6.0 yellow light time.
WARNING - This information on the relationship between the speed limits and yellow light times is from the National Motorists Association. This is not my information. All of the credit should go to the National Motorists association.
By Todd on Nov 18, 2008
Marie you ask “How many seconds is considered a “short” yellow light?” I would love to answer that question to you but the problem is that when it comes to considering if the yellow light time is appropriate there are so many varibles to put into the equation. For example a 3 second yellow light time in a 25 mph zone might be appropriate but a 3 second yellow light time for a 45 mph zone might be too short. Determining whether or not the yellow light time is appropriate depends on the relationship between the speed limit for that particular road and the yellow light duration. They both must be in tune with one another. Ok anyway I’m sorry for the long explaination but I’ll tell you right now that if you where driving at a reasonable speed for that area and you where close to the intersection when it turned yellow then right after that as you started enter the intersection it became red then it probably was a too short yellow light time. If however you where unreasonably far from the intersection’s yellow light and it turned red on you as you went through the intersection then the yellow light time is probably ok because you should have stop.
My advice to you would be to contact the National Motorists Association and ask them for advice on what you should do. Phone: (608) 849-6000 Fax: (608) 849-8697. Also one commen sense thing would be to not plead guilty.
I tried the best I could to offer you advice but I’m sorry if it wasn’t much help. I hope every thing turns out Ok.
By Marie on Nov 18, 2008
How many seconds is considered a “short” yellow light? I went through a yellow light at the intersection of Lock Street and Warren Street in Newark, NJ. It turned red while I was already in the intersection. I remember saying to myself that the light turned red very quickly and wouldn’t you know, just 20 seconds later, I was being pulled over my a cop. I am absolutely going to fight this as I have a perfect driving record and would never run a red light. Please advise me. Do I need an attorney? This is a matter of principal. I will not plead guilty to something I did not do.
By Todd on Nov 12, 2008
To National Motorists Association
Your project is doing a very noble thing because it benefits society.
How about passing your “Motorists Bill of Rights” as law.