More (mostly) bad news for all you bad drivers out there. (You know who you are … and the poor souls whose bad luck it is to be driving next to, behind, or in front of you know who you are, too.) While the governor and some people in the state Legislature are looking out for your “right” to endanger others with your selfish disregard for safety, you’ve only been given a reprieve on the state highways. All of those pesky red-light and speeding cameras here in town are still active, and more are coming online.

Before you start to whine about red-light cameras, here’s the latest data. In a study that looked at dozens of cities in the Unites States, red-light cameras were shown to have a stunning impact on red-light running and dangerous right-angle collisions caused by red-light running. In the first year of red-light camera operations, violations dropped:

• by 41 percent in Fairfax, Va.;

• by more than 70 percent in Charlotte, N.C.;

• by 68 percent in San Francisco; and

• by a whopping 92 percent in Los Angeles.

Every city that has used them has seen a drop in red-light running violations and serious right-angle collisions. Some cities showed an increase in rear-end collisions at those intersections, but, since rear-end collisions are, by definition, always caused by the driver in back, it’s easy to identify, cite, and punish the bad driver.

There is a very lucrative cottage industry that has sprung up in response to all of the photo-enforcement devices. They offer a variety of products that are supposed to make bad drivers immune to photo-enforcement measures by making license plates unreadable by the traffic cameras. The most common products being hawked are a spray-on lacquer that is supposed to make the camera flash double back on itself, effectively “blinding” the camera. And then there’s the license-plate shield, a clear plastic, convex plate cover that features “light-reflecting crystals.”

A team of researchers performed an exhaustive study on the efficacy of these countermeasures—testing them alone and in tandem, during daytime and night, and driving into and away from the sun—and found that not only do these products not do what they promise, in some cases, they actually make it easier for the cameras to read the plates!

The results were published in the May 2010 issue of the ITE (Institute of Traffic Engineers) Journal. The cameras were triggered 160 times and, while there was some minor obscuring (more likely caused by the angle of the sun), the license plates were readable all 160 times. Furthermore (and this is fun), during night testing, the license plate shield had no impact on plate readability in 75 percent of the trials, but in the other 25 percent, the plate was even more readable than that of the control vehicle.

So, all you knuckleheads driving tricked-out Hondas with oversized tail pipes, you’re out of luck on this one. It’s probably better to just stay within the vicinity of the posted speed limit. How boring is that, right? And you can save the money you would have wasted on the shield and/or lacquer and maybe buy one of those Shake Weight things.

Those won’t work, either.

There are still plenty of opportunities to be all macho and cause mayhem on Tucson’s frontage roads. A study showed that in the last six months of 2009, there were 11 collisions on the frontage roads along Interstate 10 between Miracle Mile and 29th/Silverlake. But in the first six months of this year, there have been 86 collisions.

During the expansion on I-10, people had been using the frontage roads as throughways and some people probably still are. During that construction period, there were no cars entering or exiting the freeway in the downtown area and maybe people just got used to that. But we’re coming up on a year since the freeway reopened, so that’s no excuse.

I sincerely believe that some people don’t know the definition of “yield.” They probably think it means “merge,” so if they’re on the frontage road and they have a half-car lead on the vehicle exiting the freeway, then screw that other guy.

Then, of course, there are significant numbers of people who simply cannot read the sign. Go ahead, somebody PLEASE e-mail me and tell me how it’s every human’s God-given right to operate a motor vehicle in the United States, even without a license and/or the ability to read and understand basic traffic signs. I’ll tell you that you’re full of crap and then you can call me a racist.

Because of the configuration of the freeway and the frontage roads, the stop signs that had been in place during the construction had to be replaced by yield signs. How about this? We install cameras at yield points on the frontage roads, but not to give tickets. The footage will only be used in the case of a collision, and then to determine which driver is at fault. (Of course, it will always be the person on the frontage road.)

Or is it unconstitutional to film a lawbreaker in the act of breaking the law?

This article appears in Sep 2-8, 2010.

17 replies on “Danehy”

  1. Photo radar reminds people to drive within the law, and has had a very positive effect. Unfortunately our Legislature and Gov. have disbanded it. Driving between Phoenix and Tucson, I see the driving getting more reckless. Not only did they reduce road safety, they cut source of state’s revenue with a relative low expense. I have to keep reminding myself that 75% of the AZ House of Representative only have high school or GED diplomas.

  2. I say install the red light cameras at ALL INTERSECTIONS with lights. There is no guarantee of “privacy” when outside.

    Also, remember to vote out the elected political reps who do not meet your needs. This way we might be able to get back what we’ve lost in the past.

  4. Tom, I agree with the previous comment. The state’s photo radar was a great idea. I felt a lot safer on I-10 when it was in effect. (I got popped once, $200 cannot be taken lightly) Now I-10 has turned back into the Eloy Autobahn again. It sounds like a Tea Party thing. An another stupid thing done by the AZ Legislature.

  5. There several serious problems with the way in which the intersection cameras are configured. First they do not comply with traffic standards set by the Federal Highway department’s MUTCD. There is no provision for the placement of a magnetic violation strip at any location, and certainly not at a significant distance from the stop bar which is the driver’s legal interface with the intersection. In addition these cameras are installed at what are defined as a complex intersections, River and Oracle for example, yet the yellow light that warns the driver of an impending change in right of assignment is still set a 3 seconds, which is the minimum standard for 2 lane intersection. This means that at 15 to 20 mph a driver crossing the stop bar in an outside lane after 1.5 seconds of yellow will not make it to the magnetic strip in time to avoid a ticket. More than 50% of the tickets issued at these intersections have been for this type of violation, clearly unfair and unnecessary harassment and taxation of law abiding citizens. I received such a citation and will not make a turn across traffic at any camera monitored intersection. Rufinu

  6. Solid article. It is good to see the statistics support what we all knew, the cameras work to keep up safe and save lives. Also, I agree with “stein” the I-10 was a much better place to drive when the cameras were operating. We need to bring them back.

  7. “Every city that has used them has seen a drop in red-light running violations and serious right-angle collisions. ” That is an outright fabrication. Either deliberately or through gross ignorance, there are numerous studies from impartial medical journals and universities that show a increase in accidents of all types including injury accidents and even tbone accidents, just google USF health red light camera report, Houston Rice university report, the journal of trauma report in Louisiana and the Virginia DOT red light camera report. If Mr. Danehy isn’t being paid by the camera companies he should be.

  8. Love this! Tom is right on. Cameras drop violations because people change their behavior. Great for the city, community and everyone all around.

  9. We have a lot of cyclists in our community and I truly believe that if anything, such as the cameras, can get our drivers to pay attention at least for these bikers’ sakes then do it.

    I love freedom and the rights which the constitution has given me as a citizen of this country. But no where does it given me or anyone the right to put another in danger. Tom is absolutely right about that. So stop complaining and become a safer driver.

  10. Accidents aren’t reduced at every city that has put them in, that’s just flat wrong.
    •A 2008 University of South Florida report found:
    “Comprehensive studies conclude cameras actually increase crashes and injuries, providing a safety argument not to install them…. public policy should avoid conflicts of interest that enhance revenues for government and private interests at the risk of public safety.”

    •A 2005 Virginia DOT study found:
    “The cameras are correlated with an increase in total crashes of 8% to 17%.”

    •In 2005, The Washington Post found:
    “The analysis shows that the number of crashes at locations with cameras more than doubled, from 365 collisions in 1998 to 755 last year. Injury and fatal crashes climbed 81 percent, from 144 such wrecks to 262. Broadside crashes, also known as right-angle or T-bone collisions, rose 30 percent, from 81 to 106 during that time frame.”

    •A 2004 North Carolina A&T University study found:
    “Our findings are more pessimistic, finding no change in angle accidents and large increases in rear-end crashes and many other types of crashes relative to other intersections.”

    And here are some more.

    http://thenewspaper.com/news/32/3236.asp
    http://thenewspaper.com/news/18/1844.asp
    http://thenewspaper.com/news/06/687.asp

  11. Red light cameras are very effective in reducing traffic accidents and increasing safety. Just look at the numbers!

  12. Danehy, you’re WAAYYYY off here.

    Want to see red light violations drop by 50%? Add one second to the left yellow arrows at RLC locations. See, for instance, the left yellow arrows are 4.0 seconds at Oracle & Ina (no RLC there) but only 3.0 seconds at Oracle & River (RLC intersection nearby and of comparable size). And the vast majority of red light “runners” at Oracle & River are cited for infractions less than 1 second after the light turns red. Is that fair to drivers? Hardly. But is it profitable? You bet it is.

    Want to see red light violations drop even more? Then define the beginning of the intersection like most other states do: by the STOP line prior to the crosswalk–not by the ridiculous, not-in-compliance-with-the-FHWA (thank you, rufinus2) prolongation-of-the-curb lines that most safe, prudent drivers wouldn’t have the foggiest clue to look out for. (Did YOU?)

    You want your RLCs? Then play fair, and OPTIMIZE TRAFFIC ENGINEERING beforehand. But here’s the secret, Tom: the city doesn’t want to reduce red light violations, because that would mean less revenue. Hence the minimally short yellows and made-up lines you have to cross.

    I agree with you that there are way too many idiot drivers out there, but effing with sound, consistent traffic engineering in order to make money under the guise of “safety” is hardly a solution.

    P.S. I’m as liberal a Democrat as you can get, and I’ve got an excellent and long-standing driving record. I also happen to know a rat when I smell one.

  13. One other thing. If you call TPD’s photo radar department @ 791-4440 and ask them about the RLC intersections and why the left yellow arrows are so short for intersections of their size and how a reasonable person is supposed to know that the left yellow arrow at Oracle & River is 25% shorter than Oracle & Ina and how does one determine where to stop and what does the stop line prior to the crosswalk mean if there’s some other line you’re supposed to stop at and is a $322 fine really a fair punishment for crossing this line 1/100th of a second late, etc. etc. and you know what they say?

    “Honestly, ma’am, I just avoid those intersections.” If the RLC intersections are so safe, then you’d think the police would plan their routes THROUGH as many of them as possible instead of avoiding them, right?

    Even TPD knows it’s a scam.

  15. I envision a day where we all have a government monitoring systems around our necks. This way if we turn our stove up too high or have an extra bite of un-authorized food they can help us make better decisions. Really, just follow the golden rule: If you don’t want any problems; follow the rules.

    I say the more surveillance, the better. We the people can not and must not be trusted. I say anything goes when it comes to safety and protecting our children. I mean, have you noticed how every few miles there is a speed related accident now? I think we have had about a million more accidents now that the DPS cameras are gone. Accidents that could have been prevented, but now it is too late.

    And those mostly non-degreed citizen legislators! Can you stand it? I mean, if they only had spent some time in our magnificent institutions of higher learning they would know better! Maybe we can have a test in the future to make sure they are thinking like us before we allow them to run- I mean, free elections is just not working here.

    I’m not worried- have you seen the polls? America loves the direction we correct thinkers have taken us. About all we can do is wait until November when the democratic revolution continues and we show em all how we don’t want no stinking freedom loving malcontents screwing things up. Can I get an Amen?

  16. Great piece! I like that the cameras are getting more people to obey the simple rules of the road. Apparently drivers need constant reminders about what is acceptable and safe on the roads that they share with so many others. Sad to see them off the highways, but glad they’re not gone for good everywhere else.

  17. ok i am endless_loyalty2005@yahoo.com and I am trying to find out who or how i can get in touch with BHT cause i got a ticket at river and oracle and wanna fight it. The facts he quoted are so true.How many people run red lights at 14mph when the speed limit is 40. Then too boot they serve my 76 yr old mother who i re3c’vd it from a yr and 650.00 dollars later.
    Funny they foiund my address to suspenbd my license but couldn’t find me the whole year as the interest was building.Funny famous story, maybe they will find some real crimminals! e_l ps! BHT pls contact me i need some info. you obviously have!

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