Safety evaluation of red-light cameras

01001461605704132005Final reportGriffith, MichaelPDFTech ReportFHWA-HRT-05-048;HRDS-02/04-05(500)E;NTIS-PB2005106539DTFH61-96-C-00077Traffic surveillanceRed light runningCamerasAccident severityRight angle collisionsRear end collisionsBenefit cost analysisBefore and after studiesEvaluation and assessmentProgram evaluation/assessmentUnited States. Federal Highway Administration. Office of Research and DevelopmentCouncil, Forrest M.Persaud, Bhagwant Naraine, 1947-Eccles, Kimberly A.Lyon, CraigGriffith, Michael S.Battelle Memorial InstituteUnited States. Joint Program Office for Intelligent Transportation SystemsUnited States. Federal Highway Administration. Office of Safety Research and DevelopmentNTL-OPERATIONS AND TRAFFIC CONTROLS-Traffic Control DevicesNTL-SAFETY AND SECURITY-AccidentsNTL-SAFETY AND SECURITY-Highway SafetyNTL-INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS-Roadway Operations and MaintenanceIntelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office;Federal Highway AdministrationThe objective of this final study was to determine the effectiveness of red-light-camera (RLC) systems in reducing crashes. The study used empirical Bayes before-and-after research using data from seven jurisdictions across the United States at 132 treatment sites. The purpose of the study was to estimate the crash and associated economic effects of RLC systems and specially derived rear end and right-angle unit crash costs for various severity levels. Crash effects detected were consistent in direction with those found in many previous studies: decreased right-angle crashes and increased rear end ones. The economic analysis examined the extent to which the increase in rear end crashes negates the benefits for right-angle crashes. The analysis showed an aggregate crash cost benefit of RLC systems. A disaggregate analysis found that the greatest economic benefits are associated with the highest total entering average annual daily traffic, the largest ratios of right-angle to rear end crashes, and with the presence of protected left turn phases. There were weak indications of a spillover effect that points to a need for a more definitive, perhaps prospective, study of this issue