Chicago Area Police Departments Endorse Red Light Camera

I have written about the effectiveness of red light cameras here and here. Studies to date have shown mixed results as to their effectiveness.

In a March 12 letter to the editor of the Chicago Tribune, fourteen Chicago area police chiefs endorsed the use of red light cameras in their towns’ intersections.  The letter points to a number of statistics in supporting their cause for these types of cameras. Specifically they cite  recent U.S. Federal Highway Administration study also found red-light camera intersections to have shown a 24.7% decrease nationwide in “right-angle”  car crashes or “broadside”  auto collisions which are particularly dangerous.

The police chiefs also argued that the cameras helped apprehend a “hit and run” suspect in Chicago. It is clear where local police departments stand on this issue. I would like to see more studies performed before making a determination.

To read the complete letter, click here.

If you or someone you know has been involved in a Chicago car accident or Chicago truck accident, then call attorney Aaron Bryant for a free consultation at 312-588-3384.

A Third Of Cook County Fatalities Linked To Drunk Drivers

The Chicago Sun Times recently released  car accident fatality statistics , which showed that from 1994 to 2008, one third  of all  Cook County car accident fatalities were related to drunk driving. The analysis was performed by Scripps Howard New Services.

As part of the project, Scripps Howard researchers counted the number of deaths on every road in America, using data provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Scripps analyzed 562,712 fatal accidents from 1994 to 2008 that claimed 627,433 lives.

While the carnage has fallen in recent years — 37,261 individuals died in vehicular accidents in 2008 — that’s still more than 10 times the number who died in the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

Most of the traffic fatalities can be attributed to excessive speed, alcohol-impairment or failure to wear seat belts. Drivers distracted while texting, eating or using their cell phones are also a growing concern.

“People may feel more comfortable drinking and driving in rural areas, thinking that they are not as likely to get caught as on major roads,” concluded Lee Munnich, director of the Center for Excellence in Rural Safety at the University of Minnesota.

If you or someone you know has been involved in a Chicago car accident or Chicago truck accident or have been charged with a DUI or other traffic violation, then call attorney Aaron Bryant for a free consultation at 312-588-3384.

Red Light Cameras Working In Other Cities

I previously wrote about the effectiveness of red light cameras in Chicago. Car accident statistics for some Chicago intersections that had red light cameras actually showed an increase in car crashes.

My hometown of Kansas City, Missouri is actually showing a decrease car crashes around their city in intersections that contain red light cameras.  The Kansas City Star reported recently that  car wrecks overall declined 26 percent. Injury wrecks fell by 42 percent. And wrecks caused by drivers running red lights plunged 67 percent. Those declines contrast with a slight increase in wrecks citywide during that same time period.

“As a driver myself, I know I’m paying more attention,” said KC Police Chief Jim Corwin. “I think a lot of people are paying more attention, so those figures don’t surprise me.”

“I’m glad to hear it’s making a difference,” said Councilwoman Cathy Jolly, a proponent of the camera system. “This is why we did it.”

Nationwide, studies of crashes at camera-monitored intersections have reported mixed results.

Large studies from Virginia and North Carolina reported crash numbers grew after cameras were installed. Other studies, including ones in Dallas and California, cited a reduction in crashes.

Beth Ebel, director of the Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center in Seattle, said many studies generally have found a decrease in right-angle or T-bone crashes but an increase in rear-end crashes.

To read the complete article, click here. It will be interesting to see how the intersections with red light cameras in Chicago fare in the next few  years. As mentioned above, experts who have studied this issue believe it could take up to three (3) years to determine their effectiveness.

If you or someone you know has been involved in a Chicago car accident or Chicago truck accident, then call attorney Aaron Bryant for a free consultation at 312-588-3384.