Traffic Camera Lights Should Be Installed Essay Example for Free

craft Camera Lights Should Be Installed Essay deprivation comfortable running is a common problem in roads and interbreedings. According to the focus report from Texas Ho expenditure Representatives, injuries and fatalities from ruby trip crashes had increased annually from 10,000 in the year 1975 to 24,000 in the year 2001 (Focus Report, p 1). In calcium, from the report of the internal Advisory Board, in that location is an count completely 200,000 crashes where 150,000 are from injuries and more(prenominal) than 1,100 fatalities in the year 2001. ( home(a) oppose to block off Red Light, p. 1).In the eld 1992 to 2000, the number of road accidents that had caused death at signalized intersections had increased by 19% nationwide where the chromatic well-heeled running being the frequent cause. Half of the deaths were innocent pedestrians and occupants in vehicles that had been hit by these flushed loose runners (National ride to Stop Red Light, p. 1)..Financ ially, California Highway Patrol estimates that the red percipient running fatality had caused $2,600,000 and other accidents cost between $2,000 and $183,000 (National Campaign to Stop Red Light, p. 1). In Texas, accidents are estimated to be cost at between $1.4 Billion. Medical, Insurance and other related expenses falls at roughly $3 billion annually. Federal Highway Administration from the US part of Transportation, red get out runnin more than 100,000 crashes and approximately 1,000 deaths annually (Federal Highway Administration, page 1). In post to address the problem of red light running, authorities had decided to use photographic cameras. Traffic light cameras had been used in the United States in the 90s. John Quain states that New York had been one of the outset areas that had installed camera devices to catch law-breaking individuals (nytimes.com, 2008). Red light Cameras primary(prenominal) goal is to make population obey calling rules and minimize if not eliminate red light runner violators. There are three types of cameras that had been used by the police. These are the film camera, digital camera and exposure camera (National Campaign to Stop Red Light, p 13). The film camera has a special(a) amount of images to capture exclusively has the highest image resolution among the other two types. The digital camera captures the stick out and directs it to the computer. There is no need to get or retrieved the image from the site because the captured images go straight to the database of the operator.Lastly, video cameras are used to detect the speed and capture the images to detect the violators. The cameras apply assorted features to sense the correct of the car. This includes the video motion sensors, laser tracking and the sensors embedded in the road. When the car passes the stop line and the light has turned red, the camera captures a series of pictures of the infraction.This includes the license plate of the violator. From these pictures, the owner of the vehicle is issued a okay. The ticket and the photographic evidence from the camera is then given to the owner via mail (nytimes.com, 2008). In addition to the mail, check to Seattle Post Intelligence, the owner is tasked to dedicate the fine in 18 days, if the owner was not the one private road he or she must ask for a hearing or an profane swearing. If the driver had signed the affidavit the ticket is nulled. The tickets issued to the owner do not appear in the driving records (seattlepi.com, 2008). There are numerous benefits in installing the traffic light cameras. First benefit is to the police force. In the article from the National Campaign to Stop Red light runners, it had been stressed that the police force monitors the roads and intersections in order to ensure that there are no violators. If a particular scenario happens, the police is sometimes forced to shack the violator for the traffic ticket. This particular procedure does not only devastate the time of the police but it also wastes gasoline.There have also been procedures that had assigned a particular sort out to monitor the roads. These situations waste time and effort of not only a single policeman but a group of policemen. Since the cameras had been installed, the police had more time to worry about other things aside from monitoring the traffic (National Campaign to Stop Red Light, p 11). In the year 1998, the International Association of Chiefs of Police had supported the red light cameras. The resolution had indicated that red light cameras are there for more effective and efficient traffic law, in conjunction with normal enforcement efforts. (National Campaign to Stop Red Light, p 11). Second benefit is that the red light cameras had been able to reduce the red light violations by 40% at intersections with cameras and a 50% reduction at intersections without cameras (thenewspaper.com, 2008). The reduction of violations only shows that there the goals of the red light cameras had been met. Third benefit is the monetary aspect from the type of crash accidents that had happened.According to the Federal Highway Administration in America, there is an approximate aggregate scotch benefit of $39,000 per site per year. The $39,000 benefit came from the minimized right angle crashes and the increase in rear accident crashes. Even though there was an increase in the rear end crashes the economic computation of the crashes had resulted to a positive benefit for society. Another angle of economic benefit is that the camera systems pay for itself because of the red light running fines that has been generated. (Federation Highway Administration, page 84). Another benefit that the red light camera brings is that it had become a deterrent to bring behaviour change to motorists. (National Campaign to Stop Red Light, p 8). The behaviour change does not only include obeying traffic rules, it also includes respect for fellow drivers which had resulted to avoiding crashes, injuries and injustice of life. Recent studies show that there have been 25 to 30 percent reduction in intersection injury crashes (National Campaign to Stop Red Light, p 8). In Seattle, the frequency of light running dropped. Studies revealed that there has been a reduction of at least 50 percent.The study shows that the cameras had reduced the frequency of car collisions. Seattle had do a one-year pilot period and the city had issued that there have been 16,539 citations. These citations had resulted to $1.1 million in penalties. more(prenominal) than 70% of the ticketed violators had paid for their fines (seattlepi.com, 2008). In London, red light and speed cameras had shown a reduction of 54% in red light violations. The 11,000 violations that had ben recorded in the last 6 months of the year 2000 had been decreased to 5,000 in the first six months of the year 2001. (Red Light Press Clippings, Page 1).The red light camera had been installed i n different areas in the United States and it has also contributed a lot in the reduction of accidents and injuries in the road. Oxnard California had shown that there have been a reduction of injury crashes at intersections with traffic signals by 29 percent since 1997. This does not only include the intersections with camera. Fairfax, Virginia had experience a decline of 44% after a year of camera enforcement. Washington D.C. had shown a reduction of fatalities from16 percent to 2 percent in the first two years of installation. Charlotte, North Carolina had experienced 70 percent in the first year of camera enforcement. New York urban center, Maryland, and California also had shown a reduction of violations ever since the cameras had been installed.There are many issues that surround the installation of red light cameras. There have been studies that show that the installation of the cameras had resulted to an increase in the rear-end crashes of cars. The issue had been the quan tify of the yellow light and the fear of the spate about the ticketing from the traffic enforcement offices.Another issue is that the enforcers may have adjusted the cameras so that there would be more people who would incur traffic violations to increase the fine collection. Some of the people view the installation of these cameras as an additional tax collection that the government is assemblage from the people. The Big Brother issue had also been discussed, several people question their right to privacy. It had been noted that the use of the red light cameras violates the privacy of the people. (US House of Representatives, 2001)There may have been issues that are against the red light cameras however, the proponent of this paper believes that it is better to install traffic cameras in all the intersections. It is more important to be able to care for the safety of the people rather than think about the privacy and costs. Life costs more than anything else and it is the duty of the police to take care of the citizens of the country.People feel safer because they know that it is safe in the streets. Knowing that there are safeguards such as traffic camera lights in the roads helps people think that they are secure. The reduction of the violations of red light running had shown very promising results. It is not only easier for the police force to know the violators but it had also brought about the increase of security in the roads. Since people would not be able to escape their violations, the people are then disciplined and as a such this brings behavioural change from the drivers.Works CitedRobinson, B.A. , Same Sex Marriages (SSM), Civil Unions and Domestic Partnerships. Religous Tolerance, 30, Texas House of the Representatives. Red-Light Cameras in Texas A Status Report Focus Report. may 2001. House Research Organization. 10 February 2008. http//www.hro.house.state.tx.us/focus/redlight79-15.pdfQuain, J. Lights, Camera, Traffic Ticket Technology. 6 Ja nuary 2008. New York Times. 10 February 2008. http//www.nytimes.com/2008/01/06/automobiles/06LIGHT.html?ex=1357275600en=fedd158c6b011f9bei=5088partner=rssnytemc=rssFederal Highway Administration. Safety Evaluation of Red-Light Cameras. U.S. Department of Transportation. April 2005. Research and Development Technology Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center. 10 February 2008. http//www.tfhrc.gov/safety/pubs/05048/05048.pdfNational Campaign to Stop Red Light Running. Stop on Red = Safe on Green. 2002. National Campaign to Stop Red Light Running 10 February 2008. http//www.stopredlightrunning.com/pdfs/StopOnRedSafeOnGreen.pdfGalloway, Angela. More red light cameras coming 2 January 2008. Seattle Post Intelligencer. 10 February 2008. http//seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/345753_redlight03.htmlBJS. Red light cameras can reduce crash-related injuries 20 April 2005. Science Blog. 10 Februar 2008. http//www.scienceblog.com/cms/node/7612/printMobilizing the Region. Facing Albany Roadblock, NYC must Fake Traffic Safety Program. 24 November 2001. Tri-State Transportation Campaign. 10 February 2008. http//www.tstc.org/bulletin/City of Saskatoon. Drive safe. Drive smart. Stop at red lights 2007. City of Saskatoon. 10 Februry 2008. http//saskatoon.ca/org/municipal_engineering/red_light_cameras/index.aspU.S. House of Representatives. Red Light Camera Scam. The Red Light Running Crisis May 2001. TheNewspaper.com 10 February 2007 http//www.thenewspaper.com/rlc/reports/rlcreport6.asp