Skip to main content

Florida red-light camera intersections show reduction in crashes, says report

According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles' (DHSMV) fifth annual report on red-light safety cameras, intersections equipped with the technology are challenging a state-wide trend. While overall crashes state-wide have increased by 33 per cent from 2012-2015, crashes specifically related to red-light running at red-light safety camera intersections have decreased by more than three per cent. There is also a reduction in crashes at red-light safety camera intersections involvi
January 6, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles' (DHSMV) fifth annual report on red-light safety cameras, intersections equipped with the technology are challenging a state-wide trend. While overall crashes state-wide have increased by 33 per cent from 2012-2015, crashes specifically related to red-light running at red-light safety camera intersections have decreased by more than three per cent.

There is also a reduction in crashes at red-light safety camera intersections involving non-motorists, pedestrians and cyclists.  These collisions at red-light safety camera intersections fell by nearly 20 per cent while at the same time the number of pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities state-wide climbed nearly 33 percent during the four-year period studied in the report.

"This important analysis shows red-light safety cameras continue to stand out as a deterrent to dangerous crashes, especially those involving pedestrians," said Liz Caracciolo, ATS safety general manager. “An overall three per cent reduction in red-light running crashes at Florida's worst intersections, along with a 20 per cent decrease in crashes involving non-motorists are notable achievements considering the fact that crashes are climbing at a frightening rate state-wide.”

Each year, DHSMV gathers and analyses program and crash data from municipalities operating under Florida's Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Act.  Of the 58 cities using red-light safety camera to deter red-light running, 28 were selected for an in-depth analysis of crash data specific to intersections armed with the technology.  

Despite these positive results, DHSMV cautions that “the crash analysis should be put into context of the overall complexity of the issue at hand, as many factors may contribute to the change in number of crashes outlined in this report”.

Related Content

  • Traffic accidents ‘number one worldwide cause of death among the young’
    October 31, 2014
    A new study released by the Allianz Center for Technology (AZT) found that traffic accidents are the leading cause of death for youths, regardless of a country’s economic well-being. Thirty-one percent of all traffic-related deaths in the world are youth and young adults aged between 15 and 29 years. This translates to more than 400,000 lives lost per year, which exceeds youth deaths caused by diseases, drug use, suicide, violence or war-related events. Whether a traffic-related death of a youth occurs i
  • New York to implement speed cameras near schools
    August 16, 2013
    New York City is to establish a five-year demonstration programme to monitor school speed zones in New York City with speed cameras and to allow evidence captured on camera to be used to impose liability for speeding. This new law will enhance the safety of children, pedestrians and drivers in city school speed zones by encouraging drivers to drive with caution through these areas and supplement law enforcement efforts to catch violations and prevent accidents caused by speeding. New York Governor Andrew M
  • ATS aids US police to investigate crashes, crimes and more
    September 22, 2016
    Red light, speed and school bus safety cameras are typically used to catch dangerous drivers, but US law enforcement agencies also use the video and still images to investigate an average of 300 criminal and crash incidents a month. American Traffic Solutions (ATS) has responded to more than 20,000 requests for video from 1 January 2011 to 31 May 2016 from police forces in the US, which, when permitted by law, utilised the video and still images to analyse crashes, catch criminals and identify drivers in
  • Speed reduction measures - carrot or stick?
    January 23, 2012
    In Sweden, marketing company DDB Stockholm employed a mock speed camera as part of a promotional campaign for automotive manufacturer Volkswagen. The result was worldwide online interest and promotion of the debate over excessive speed to the national level. A developing trend in traffic management policy is to look at how to induce road users to modify their behaviour by incentivising change rather than forcing it through the application of penalties. There have been several studies conducted into this; an