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Virginia Gov't Admits Traffic Cameras Increase Accidents
from the whooops dept
Bob Dole writes "Although less than 4 percent of traffic accidents are caused by red light running, cities and the insurance industry insist there is an urgent need for automated camera enforcement for safety purposes. Yet according to a a new study by the Virginia Transportation Research Council, Virginia experienced a "definite" increase in overall injury accidents where cameras were used. In the county with the most accurate data, that increase was between 7 and 24 percent. The report suggests there is a "possible" decrease in angle accidents. So camera boosters are now relegated to claiming cameras merely rearrange accidents, trading one type of crash for another. There's no escaping the bottom line, however. With cameras you get more injuries, not more safety. The report offers good news for Virginia motorists: you can ignore tickets mailed to your home. They aren't valid unless personally served." We wrote about some other studies concerning red light cameras recently as well.
Reader Comments
(Flattened / Threaded)
Outlaw Agenda
Seems to me that people who make the most noise about traffic enforcement are those who break the rules.
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Re: Outlaw Agenda
Seems to me that people who make the most noise about traffic enforcement are those who are innocent.
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No Subject Given
The bit about ignoring the tickets in the mail, that is partially true. I am not famaliar with Virginia exactly, but federally and in at least a few states, the defendant can choose to waive the service requirement and accept the notice via mail. Why would they do that? Because if they do not waive the service requirement, then they have to pay the costs of service.
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No Subject Given
Traffic cameras will become a thing of the past the first time some enterprising individual thinks about the HUGE PAYDAY he will make when rear-ended at one of these.
1) Hire shyster
2) Argue that if the camera wasn't there, the accident wouldn't have happened
3) Point to the state's own statistics showing rear-end accidents went UP after the camera was installed
4) Explain to a jury that doesn't like the damn things how the state KNEW accidents would go up, but didn't take the camera's out.
5) Give the attorney 30% of the $50 million verdict.
6) Move to Monaco
7) Get three blonde girlfriends.
8) Party like it's 1999.
Game over baby.
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No Subject Given
Visit http://www.motorists.org/ when you get sufficiently frustrated with money-making speed traps.
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No Subject Given
I dont understand why having a camera causes accidents. Is that because you see the camera and you speed up? Or does looking up at the camera make you pose, thereby taking your eyes off the road?
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Re: No Subject Given
No, it's...
1) Abruptly stop
2) Comb hair
3) Straighten clothing
4) Put on makeup (if needed)
5) Get green stuff out of teeth from lunch
6) Pose
But it is #1 that usually get you.
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