Statement From NCSR On New Study By Insurance Institute For Highway Safety

Further Evidence Safety Camera Programs Reduce Red-Light Running

WASHINGTON, Jan. 24, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Another study – released today by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) – provides more supporting evidence that red-light safety camera programs are effective. The study looked at a camera program in Arlington, Va. where red-light running rates have decreased at intersections with cameras. They found the largest decline – 86 percent – in violations that prove to be the most dangerous, occurring 1.5 seconds into the red light cycle.

"The Arlington program is another example of the safety benefits cameras bring to intersections," said David Kelly, Executive Director of the National Coalition for Safer Roads (NCSR). "This study comes at a time when mounting evidence from other successful camera programs across the country is being revealed. Communities are seeing the true benefits of their programs and public support for cameras continues to rise."

Arlington installed cameras in June 2010 at heavily traveled intersections. IIHS started documenting violation trends by videotaping traffic during a 30-day warning period after the cameras were installed. They continued to capture footage a month after ticketing began and again after a year of operation.

The research revealed red-light running violations went down across the board at camera intersections. Another IIHS study of large U.S. cities in 2011 found that safety cameras reduced the rate of fatal red-light running collisions by 24 percent.

Intersections are a major focus for improving road safety. In 2010, more than 2.2 million police-reported motor vehicle crashes involving an intersection led to 7,707 deaths and 68,000 serious non-fatal injuries. As proven in Arlington, red-light safety cameras are an effective tool in reducing a key contributor to intersection collisions – the deadly act of running a red light.

View the full IIHS Arlington study here.

To learn more about NCSR and the benefits of red-light safety cameras please visit www.NCSRsafety.org.

The National Coalition for Safer Roads helps save lives and protect communities by demonstrating how red-light safety cameras can improve driver behavior. NCSR brings together policymakers, community leaders and concerned citizens in support of red-light safety cameras, advocating for their use in cities and communities across the country. The National Coalition for Safer Roads is a 501 (c)(6) industry trade association. To learn more, please visit www.NCSRsafety.org, follow @SaferRoadsUSA on Twitter and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/SaferRoadsUSA.

SOURCE National Coalition for Safer Roads