Motorists who zip through red lights at certain Kansas City intersections soon will be paying for breaking the law.
It’s about time. Red-light runners endanger themselves, other drivers and pedestrians.
Early this year a contractor hired by Kansas City plans to install cameras at six intersections.
By Jan. 22 city officials hope cameras will be in place at 39th Street and Southwest Trafficway. After 30 days in which the city will raise public awareness of the cameras, they will start snapping pictures of red-light runners. That eventually will result in $100 tickets.
More than two years ago a citizens task force strongly supported camera use. The members emphasized improving public safety over collecting more money from tickets.
This is a key point because critics say other cities have shortened yellow-light times to catch more motorists running red lights, which increases revenues from traffic fines.
As a check against that, earlier this week The Star timed how long yellow lights lasted for northbound and southbound motorists at the six intersections where cameras will be placed.
The figures, from an average of seven readings at each intersection, timed between 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and rounded to the nearest 10th of a second:
3.3 seconds at 19th and Walnut streets
3.8 seconds at 27th Street and Southwest Trafficway
3.9 seconds at 39th Street and Southwest Trafficway
3.8 seconds at 39th and Main streets
3.8 seconds at 63rd Street and Prospect Avenue
3.9 seconds at 79th Street and Wornall Road
The Star will follow up after the red-light cameras are installed to determine whether the city or the contractor has altered the yellow-light timing at these intersections.
A city official said this week that the city follows federal standards for programming yellow lights.
The federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices states: “A yellow change interval should have a duration of approximately 3 to 6 seconds. The longer intervals should be reserved for use on approaches with higher speeds.”
Dennis Gagnon, a Public Works Department spokesman, said the city does not plan to change the length of yellow lights and added: “We don’t want the red-light camera company meddling” with the timing of the lights.
The timing should not be altered at these or other intersections simply to pull in more revenue.
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I'm not sure I trust the system well enough
After 8 years of watching our constitutional rights dwindle away, I no longer buy the argument that if you aren't doing anything wrong you have nothing to worry about.
And after being accused of a crime I didn't commit as a teenager, and dealing with cops who were convinced I was guilty and never bothered to say 'oops, we made a mistake', I have learned not to automatically trust law enforcement either.
Try teaching your 15-year old
...my daughter is driving now and its pretty sad when I have to tell her to wait at a green light to let the people who are running a red light go through. This is the suburbs not the city. I wish my town would have a philosophy of "revenue generation".
even if it's about the money
then, so what? I mean, you wouldn't consider yourself to have standing to complain that cops are giving out tickets for red light runners, would you?
To me, situation's simple. Don't run red lights, and you won't get ticketed.
Do you complain about DUI roadblocks because they unfairly impact your ability to drive drunk without getting caught?
I confess, I lack sympathy for this argument.
Yes, its about money
7/5/2007
2007 Virginia DOT Report Shows Red Light Cameras Increase Accidents
A new Virginia Department of Transportation study shows accidents increased by nearly a third where red light cameras were used.
VTRC report coverThe Virginia Transportation Research Council today released a report expanding upon earlier research into the safety effects of red light cameras in Virginia. The new study, funded by the Virginia Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration, provided a city-by-city assessment that showed significant increases in the number of injuries and accidents at intersections employing photo enforcement.
The change in the frequency of injury accidents varied widely among jurisdictions -- down 5 percent in one but up between 6 and 89 percent in all others. Even within a jurisdiction some intersections fared better than others. In Fairfax County, for example, the total number of crashes increased at every intersection with a camera, except for one -- Route 50 and Fair Ridge. VDOT increased the duration of the yellow light from 4 seconds to 5.5 seconds on August 12, 1998. Research by the Texas Transportation Institute confirmed that longer yellows yield significant accident reductions. Overall, the data in the VTRC report painted a grim picture consistent with prior, independent investigations.
"The cameras were associated with an increase in total crashes. Arlington and Fairfax County saw significant increases, Falls Church and Vienna saw non significant increases, and Fairfax City saw a nonsignificant decrease."
Although it is now widely accepted that red light cameras are associated with increases in the number of rear end collisions, the VTRC report did not solely attribute the overall increase in accidents and injuries to this type of collision. Angle collisions also increased.
"Cameras were associated with an increase of between 31 percent and 54 percent for rear-end crashes overall," the report found. "The association of the cameras with angle crashes differed among jurisdictions, although a preponderance of test results suggested an increase."
Contrary to industry claims, this was not a temporary phenomenon.
"The cameras were not associated with a decrease in rear-end crashes over time after the initial increase that followed camera installation," the report found.
Red light cameras were authorized in Virginia between 1995 and 2005. After a two year battle with municipal lobbyists and the insurance industry, the Virginia state legislature re-authorized the use of red light cameras. The law took effect July 1. The full text of the study is available in a 1mb PDF file at the source link below.
Key Statistic:
City Rear End Angle Injury Total
Arlington +139% +53% +89% +65%
Fairfax City +10% -35% -5% -7%
Fairfax County +40% +8% +6% +23%
Falls Church +136% -15% +79% +38%
Vienna +64% -6% +59% +25%
Average +42% +20% +18% +29%
Source: The Impact of Red Light Cameras on Crashes in Virginia (Virginia Transportation Research Council, 7/5/2007)
bad argument, scooter.
I have. Not pretty.
39th & Southwest Trafficway?
39th & Southwest Trafficway? Sounds like pure revenue generation to me, not a public safety issue. I don't think I've ever seen a wreck there. However the design of the intersection and the traffic loads frequently mean that if you are turning left from 39th on to the Trafficway, you must pull into the intersection, wait for the light to turn red, then quickly make your turn. There's often 2-3 cars in the intersection at any time when the light changes, out of sheer necessity. Flash! Flash! Flash! Cha-Ching! Cha-Ching! Cha-Ching!