By James Baxter, NMA President
The report is in from Baytown, TX, on the results of the city’s red light ticket camera program.
The camera proponents are going to be hard pressed to lavish praise on the results:
- 40 percent increase in total accidents
- 75 percent increase in injury accidents
- 37 percent increase in “t-bone” right angle crashes
- 83 percent increase in rear-end collisions
These disastrous results should really be no surprise. Independent studies (no financial interest) of the automated intersection ticketing programs have repeatedly shown an increase in rear- end collisions, more injuries, and contrary to the claims of ticket camera proponents, no reduction in right-angle crashes.
But, tomorrow, just as sure as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west there will be a government official or clueless reporter making the claim that red light cameras improve traffic safety.
Baytown officials are being presented with a petition to put ticket cameras to a vote in November.
If these officials are really concerned about the well-being of their constituents they won’t wait until November to put the cameras down the road.
If they do wait until November, the voters would be well served to treat incumbent officials as they do the red light camera program and put them down the road too.
