Survey shows DC residents support traffic cameras

A new survey from the US Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) finds that DC residents overwhelmingly support both red light and speed cameras. Although some residents expressed mixed opinions on the cameras, among those surveyed, 87 per cent support red light cameras and 76 per cent favour speed cameras. Among drivers, about 71 per cent support speed cameras, while 90 per cent of non-drivers support them, according to the survey. Metropolitan Police Department spokeswoman Gwen Crump cited statistic
May 1, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
A new survey from the US 7120 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) finds that DC residents overwhelmingly support both red light and speed cameras.

Although some residents expressed mixed opinions on the cameras, among those surveyed, 87 per cent support red light cameras and 76 per cent favour speed cameras. Among drivers, about 71 per cent support speed cameras, while 90 per cent of non-drivers support them, according to the survey.

Metropolitan Police Department spokeswoman Gwen Crump cited statistics showing a 73 per cent decrease in traffic fatalities in the District since the introduction of the city's speed cameras in 2001.

"Despite DC's camera program being portrayed in the media as very unpopular and unfair, our survey shows people really support them," says IIHS researcher Anne McCartt.

The study also asked drivers about stop sign and crosswalk cameras.  Here, residents were largely split on the issue, with 50 per cent supporting the stop sign cameras and 47 per cent supporting crosswalk cameras.  DC police are hoping to unveil both types of cameras within the next year.
Enforcement

Related Content

  • ITS technology reduces congestion, improves workzone safety
    July 17, 2012
    As the road-building season gets under way in the US, the Federal Highway Administration has just published a White Paper which deals with the use of ITS technology in work zones. On 30 April 2009, the US Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) published a White Paper which was prepared by the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) to inform public agencies about the use of ITS to manage construction work zones. This is a particularly relevant topic given the large number of construction projects that are ex
    Read More
  • Driving forward cooperative intersection safety applications
    July 24, 2012
    Gregory Davis, FHWA, John Harding, NHTSA, and Mike Schagrin, ITS Joint Program Office (RITA) chart the course for cooperative intersection safety applications being pursued as part of the IntelliDrive programme. Crashes at intersections accounted for 8,703 highway fatalities in the US in 2008. Research and development is moving forward on IntelliDriveSM safety applications designed to help drivers avoid intersection accidents. These new safety systems could substantially drive down the highway death and inj
    Read More
  • US enforcement regulation to deliver clearer guidelines?
    February 2, 2012
    Jim Tuton of American Traffic Solutions looks at the evolution of automated enforcement in North America "Technological regulation will become more sophisticated at the federal level, giving states clearer guidelines" Jim Tuton In just 20 years, photo enforcement in North America has grown from a single speed camera in a small town in Arizona to thousands of photo traffic enforcement cameras which are now operating in 350 communities spread across 27 states and three Canadian provinces. Most of these p
    Read More
  • Half of passengers ‘would pay for better technology’
    August 2, 2013
    David Crawford considers the finding of a passenger attitude survey in nine cities worldwide. Three quarters of regular users of public transport in nine capital and other major cities worldwide believe that electronic ticketing would make travel easier; while an overwhelming 92% would welcome paperless travel in any form, according to a recent consumer survey from global management consultants Accenture. Of the 4,500 urban travellers aged over-18 who were quizzed, some 90% routinely used public transport.
    Read More

Highlighted Content