Study finds that red light cameras cause crashes

[luvduvs]

http://www.drive.com.au/Editorial/ArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=50276

"Researchers at the University of South Florida found that cameras increased crashes and related injuries because drivers were slamming on their brakes to avoid fines, causing rear-end accidents."

No $hit Sherlock - you needed to do a study to work that out?!?!

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

I almost caused an accident at a set of lights with a camera. Was approaching and was green, and my Camera locator said 'Warning, red light camera ahead', and then the lights turned amber.

Normally at this point I would have kept going, but with 3 points in my lisence, another 3 would see my lisence taken away because I'm still just within my first 2 years of driving.

So I slam on the breaks, leave a set of 11's and am left sitting on the pedstrian part of the lights. The person who almost went into the back of me then reversed, and so I done the same.

But whos fault would that have been if they went into the back of me? Mine or theirs?

 

[The Beard]

Er, that'll be drivers cause crashes then. Try and work out this little riddle. You are driving along the road when in the distance you see a green traffic light. You get closer, it's still green. What do you think might happen next? Come on, you can do it. Stop thinking about how harsh the world is, all these nasty people trying to take your licence away for speeding and going through red lights.....hang on a minute, that rings a bell; got it. I knew you could do it. The traffic lights might change. Now that wasn't difficult was it? So why then, does anyone go through red lights? They're either not thinking about what they are doing or decide they're too important to stop. Not good for anyone coming the other way is it? It's about time people started taking their responsibilities seriously instead of blaming everyone and everything else for their failings. If we don't, then trust me, the EU will be quite happy to take the onerous task of driving away from us. The technology is already available for satellites to slow cars down when they get to lower speed limits. They will probably even be able to make your car slow down when you get near a school. How about your car being limited to a top speed of 40 by satellites? The future is out there.

 

[Jai]

I almost caused an accident at a set of lights with a camera. Was approaching and was green, and my Camera locator said 'Warning, red light camera ahead', and then the lights turned amber.

Normally at this point I would have kept going, but with 3 points in my lisence, another 3 would see my lisence taken away because I'm still just within my first 2 years of driving.

So I slam on the breaks, leave a set of 11's and am left sitting on the pedstrian part of the lights. The person who almost went into the back of me then reversed, and so I done the same.

But whos fault would that have been if they went into the back of me? Mine or theirs?

i would say both of you, you're both approaching a set of lights, neither preparing for the possibility it may well change, forward vision and preparation would mean you wouldn't have to slam on the brakes, the one behind needs to leave sufficient gap to bring their vehicle to a stop safely. your camera locator is only a driver aid, not the be all and end all of wether you make a decision on what to do.

may i suggest:

not the last word, but a good place to start, and get you thinking beyond simply what's 20ft in front of your bonnet

 

[RichDoblo120]

http://www.drive.com.au/Editorial/ArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=50276

"Researchers at the University of South Florida found that cameras increased crashes and related injuries because drivers were slamming on their brakes to avoid fines, causing rear-end accidents."

No Sherlock - you needed to do a study to work that out?!?!

I agree and it's the same with speed cameras too.
I was once driving a coach load of kids round the M25 where there's a 60mph limit, I was riding on the speed limiter as you're limited to 62 so I thought it didn't make much difference.
Anyway, I was gaining slowly on a car and getting ready to move out and overtake when he suddenly slammed on the anchors for no apparent reason. I had to brake really hard to avoid going up the back of him.
Why did he brake? Probably because his camera detector went off or he spotted a sign.
The thing was he was within the speed limit anyway and just panicked when he saw the camera.
I reckon cameras cause more crashes than they stop.

 

[faster4_tec]

yes, I think they do make people think more about their licnese's and fines rather than just plain driing safer.


as for speedcameras, its often not the speedcameras, its GPS + radar detectors shouting at you, most people immediatly slam on the anchors as they are not making themselves properly aware of the limits, instead relying on a bit of software that was out of date teh minute they bought it :bang:


I just love going along a 60mph A road, seeing a cam van, and the person infront immediatly dropping their pants (despite being under the limit anyway), and a lot of tem, despite being OBVISOULY on a 60mph A ROAD, they slam down to 30, causing lines of traffic and increasing the chance of an incident


whilst I'm not 'for' cam vans etc, I think its the way a lot of people drive nowadays (E.g. completly removed from reliality) thats not helping

also cars are getting so smooth its just daft.
drove a new octavia diesel at teh weekend, and on an A road there is no noticable difference in feeling/sensation beween 35mph-75, feels/sounds/bucks around just the same!!!

 

[mooshooh]

They can be useful but rather than give points they could try other things such as fines before points or sending people on courses to improve their driving?

 

[StevenRB45]

My main gripe with speed cameras, as soon as there is one around people stop looking at the road and start focusing entirely on their speedos...

 

[The Beard]

They can be useful but rather than give points they could try other things such as fines before points or sending people on courses to improve their driving?

There are Speed Awareness Courses for speeders and Driver Improvement Courses for people who've had crashes. Going on either can help you avoid points for Speeding or Driving Without Due Care and Attention although the costs for each are similar to the fine you would have received on conviction. The added benefit is that you might just become a better driver.

Ever wonder why you come across people driving at 40 in a 60 limit? Maybe it's because they don't have a clue what the speed limit is. If they haven't seen the limit signs what else haven't they seen?

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

It wind's me up, these people who slow down, even though within the speed limit, because there is a camera, I'm not one of these.

Just to clarrify though, I normally would have gone through on the amber rather than slam on the breaks and cause an accident, if it wasn't for the fact that the lights had a camera on.

On the contary though to all saying I should have antisipated the lights turning red. Yes, and I was, but doing 40MPH in a 40 I was so close it was a split sec decision. and it was the camera and points issue that made is slam on the breaks.

I agree with 'StevenRB45' about people looking at speedo's more, because of cameras and this possibly causing more accidents, this is why I have the speed cam locator to automatically remind me if speed creeps over instead of having to clock watch in traffic.

In the main I think the speed cam locator is a good thing.

 

[StevenRB45]

See I just wish I had a user controlled speed limiter like those fitted to HGVS and some modern cars (new clio has one), so that when I was in a 30 zone I could not care about the speed and just look at the road, but could alter and switch it off when I was elsewhere, its just far to easy to exceed 30 without thinking about it. I always take extra care on lights with cameras as I dont want to be caught in the manner you were.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

See I just wish I had a user controlled speed limiter like those fitted to HGVS and some modern cars (new clio has one), so that when I was in a 30 zone I could not care about the speed and just look at the road, but could alter and switch it off when I was elsewhere, its just far to easy to exceed 30 without thinking about it.

Ditto.

Its even easier in an Automatic to creep over the speed limit, at least when I had my manual I could leave it in 3rd in a 30 to help a little. I think thats why I got cought doing the 37 in a 30 (or 34 in a 30 as I worked out using the lines, speed cameras are never accurate) in the first 5 weeks of me driving my auto Panda. Drove the manual Panda for over a year, and not a dickie bird.

But then again I think my auto Panda is cursed. Lol. Also had a parking ticket with it now. Although I was assured by the leisure center I was using that I wouldn't get one.

 

[StevenRB45]

Can Imagine it would be difficult in a CVT, (seem to remember panda auto being one of those!) as the engine wouldn't even being doing the same speed at 30 all the time, e.g. if an auto is in 3rd not slipping the clutch at 30 then the engine will always sound the same at that speed unless you go up a hill and kick down is required. But on a CVT the range of gears is pracitically unlimited so it could be howling or quiet at 30....have to say I tend to judge speed when i'm on a road with no cams by wind noise and engine note.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Can Imagine it would be difficult in a CVT, (seem to remember panda auto being one of those!) as the engine wouldn't even being doing the same speed at 30 all the time, e.g. if an auto is in 3rd not slipping the clutch at 30 then the engine will always sound the same at that speed unless you go up a hill and kick down is required. But on a CVT the range of gears is pracitically unlimited so it could be howling or quiet at 30....have to say I tend to judge speed when i'm on a road with no cams by wind noise and engine note.

Your right it is a CVT box, I love it, would never have a conventional Auto! On a flat road the engine runs at 2000rpm at speeds between 25mph-45mph. So as you said, can't judge speed on engine noise. And because its a 1.1 CVT, its insured for the same price as a 1.1 manual but actually gives the acceleration of a 1.3 manual.

I beat a 2.0 Mondeo the other day, and he was flooring it. You could see when he changed gear because my car would gain slightly in between his gear changes.

 

[PNL]

I picked up my first convicion back in 04 for going through a red rather than slamming my brakes on ..or should I say couldnt slam my brakes on ..

 

[SeicentoS]

I usually slow down a bit when I'm coming upto a green light so I've got enough time to brake if it suddenly changes.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

I picked up my first convicion back in 04 for going through a red rather than slamming my brakes on ..or should I say couldnt slam my brakes on ..

Did your insurance go up much? Apparently insurance companies put it up more for red light jumping than speeding.

I usually slow down a bit when I'm coming upto a green light so I've got enough time to brake if it suddenly changes.

But then don't you become like the people who slow down by a speed camera even if they're within the limit?

Is that not what the amber is for? Stop - only if safe to do so Red - stop no matter what?

 

[PNL]

Yep my insurance did go up on that conviction and the next one the first one tho was due to the fact I couldn't stop ..well I tried to but had a massive shooting pain in my spine when I tried to so I couldn't put enough pressure on the brake pedal to stop the car ..I pulled over passed the lights and my wife took over as I was in really bad pain ..I have a degenerating spine and arthritis in my spine and it decided at that moment to play me up ..cost me £60 and three points on my licence

 

[SeicentoS]

But then don't you become like the people who slow down by a speed camera even if they're within the limit?

Is that not what the amber is for? Stop - only if safe to do so Red - stop no matter what?

I slow to around 25mph, I'm not talking about miles away from the traffic lights, however it may stop me from experiencing an even which you have experienced....

 

[Jai]

Is that not what the amber is for? Stop - only if safe to do so Red - stop no matter what?

http://www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk/arrivealive/trafficlights.htm