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  1. #1
    Yoda of Radar
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    Default TN - Chattanooga, Tennessee Traffic Cameras Fail to Reduce Accidents

    Chattanooga, Tennessee Traffic Cameras Fail to Reduce Accidents
    Accidents increase six percent at Chattanooga, Tennessee intersections where red light cameras operate.

    Since their installation in December 2007, red light cameras in Chattanooga, Tennessee have failed to decrease the number of collisions at the locations where they are used. The UK-owned firm LaserCraft operates automated ticketing machines at six city intersections, splitting the revenue generated with the city. Officials claim the two primary objectives of the program are:

    • Save lives
    • Decrease the number of accidents, injuries and fatalities caused by speeding and red light running.

    Instead of a decrease, the total number of accidents at these locations increased six percent from 143 to 152, according to the city's own data. At most of the locations, there was little or no change in accident frequency following the installation of cameras. The only significant change was seen at Fourth Avenue and East 23rd Street where ten accidents in 2007 jumped sixty percent to sixteen in 2008.

    A report issued by the Tennessee Center for Policy Research in September likewise found no demonstrable benefit to camera use after a preliminary review of accident data from a number of cities, including Chattanooga (view report). The report cited a note of caution from the work of engineer Dale Gedcke when reviewing such accident reports.

    "First, the number of accidents reported before and after red light camera installation is so small that the statistical uncertainty in those numbers obscures any trend," the report stated. "Second, there are so many confounding variables (weather, day of the week, traffic flow, construction projects, etc.), that it is extremely difficult to extract the true effect of red light cameras without removing the effect of those confounding variables."

    The Tennessee Center for Policy Research suggested that, since photo enforcement has failed to prove effective, a far better alternative to the use of red light cameras would be to lengthen yellow intervals at intersections with a high number of accidents. A state law that took effect in January in Georgia mandated an extra second of yellow at red light camera intersections. As a result, violations dropped up to eighty percent in compliant cities, enough that officials in seven cities are looking to drop the use of cameras entirely.

    Instead of longer yellows, however, Chattanooga was caught in March 2008 with shortened warning periods at at least one location. A municipal court judge ordered the refund of 176 red light camera tickets issued at Martin Luther King Boulevard and Pine Street because the yellow was illegally short.

    Laser Interceptor Dual, Laser Interceptor Quad, Valentine 1 & The Escort 8500 X50 - Blue, Uniden BC296D, GRE500, Lasershield, 2011 Kia Soul +, Yamaha FZ6, 2005 Black Dodge Neon SRT-4,


  2. #2
    Yoda of Radar
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    Default Re: TN - Chattanooga, Tennessee Traffic Cameras Fail to Reduce Accidents

    Lets take a guess here. Lets say since we see more areas putting up speed cameras in TN. That they will end up being banned here sooner or later with the newest report out.

    As I see it, avoid TN if having to travel and take the long way around!
    Laser Interceptor Dual, Laser Interceptor Quad, Valentine 1 & The Escort 8500 X50 - Blue, Uniden BC296D, GRE500, Lasershield, 2011 Kia Soul +, Yamaha FZ6, 2005 Black Dodge Neon SRT-4,


  3. #3
    Lead Foot
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    Default Re: TN - Chattanooga, Tennessee Traffic Cameras Fail to Reduce Accidents

    It's all about the money. That's the only reason they put up the cameras.

  4. #4
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    Default Re: TN - Chattanooga, Tennessee Traffic Cameras Fail to Reduce Accidents

    I love how they basically tell you that the cameras aren't worth crap and decide that they are going to ditch the cameras (sorry LaserCraft ) and increase the yellow times, which is virtually free.

    We'll see if this is about safety. If so, they will drop the cameras.

    Quote Originally Posted by StlouisX50 View Post
    The Tennessee Center for Policy Research suggested that, since photo enforcement has failed to prove effective, a far better alternative to the use of red light cameras would be to lengthen yellow intervals at intersections with a high number of accidents. A state law that took effect in January in Georgia mandated an extra second of yellow at red light camera intersections. As a result, violations dropped up to eighty percent in compliant cities, enough that officials in seven cities are looking to drop the use of cameras entirely.

  5. #5

    Default Re: TN - Chattanooga, Tennessee Traffic Cameras Fail to Reduce Accidents

    Obviously the trend against RLCs is growing nationwide. Legislators and city council members finally are realizing that the sales pitches and studies produced by the RLC manufacturers were either flawed or were fabricated to suit their needs. Legislators and city council members also are realizing that potentially cities and states are liable for increased accident rates at intersections where yellow light timings were deliberately shortened in order to increase the revenue from these RLCs. What makes them liable is that they promoted these RLCs to the general public as safety devices which would reduce accident rates at RLC equipped intersections, yet instead they chose to go with the RLC manufacturer recommendations to shorten the yellow light timing at those RLC equipped intersections -- in direct contradiction to the recommended MUTCD formula which most states use.

    The State of Texas is notorious for this. The city of College Station, for example, has some intersections where the yellow light interval is shorter than 3.0 seconds. This is in direct violation of TX state law. I know firsthand. I was ticketed at an intersection (not RLC equipped, but where the city deliberately shortened the yellow light interval by exactly 1 full second so that cops could sit off to the side of the intersection and ticket people) which has a yellow light interval of 2.9 seconds. After 3 years, I still want my hard earned money back from those theives. I was denied any request for a speedy trial, wasn't allowed to talk to either the prosecutor or to the judge who would hear my case, but City Hall was most happy to accept my credit card to pay the illegally obtained fine. Bastards!

 

 

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