New Jersey Pilot Program Proves Red Light Cameras Reduce Crashes

According to a newly-discovered report analyzing the success of a pilot program across New Jersey, red light cameras are effective at changing driver behavior and reducing car accidents. Online news source, NorthJersey.com, obtained the report detailing the results of a five-year program testing the efficacy of Red Light Running (RLR) systems installed in 73 intersections throughout the state from 2009 to 2014.

The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) found RLR systems to be highly-effective in improving driver safety and recommended the program continue indefinitely. Despite the program’s success, the use of RLR systems was discontinued in December 2014.

How Red-Light Cameras Work

RLR systems use a computer monitor and a series of cameras installed at various points in an intersection. RLR systems work with traffic signals to capture still photos and video of vehicles that run red lights. Using photos or video of the vehicle’s license plate, a ticket is sent to the owner of the car. At the time of NJDOT’s RLR pilot program, more than 500 communities across the country were already using the cameras.

Red Light Camera Success in Numbers

Throughout the RLR pilot program, crash data was analyzed in groups, depending on camera location. For one RLR group with 22 cameras, right-angle crashes decreased by 64 percent during the final year of the pilot program. Crash severity costs, which encompass medical costs and property damage caused by accidents, decreased by more than $3 million. NJDOT estimates that RLR systems saved a total of $8.2 million in injury-related healthcare and property damage in participating cities and towns. Drivers seem to be much more cautious when they know cameras are watching.

NJDOT Red Light Camera Recommendations

Based on accident data collected from the municipalities where RLR systems were installed, NJDOT determined the cameras improved safety and modified driver behavior. At the time of the program’s conclusion, NJDOT recommended enacting new legislation to continue the program in New Jersey.

NJDOT did acknowledge the program’s lack of consistency and other challenges overcoming the public perception of red light cameras as tools of revenue generation rather than safety. A bad public image combined with computer glitches resulting in bogus tickets are some of the hiccups the state’s DOT hoped could be resolved with more time.

Camden County Car Accident Lawyers at DiTomaso Law Handle Every Aspect of Your Car Accident Claim

In discontinuing the RLR pilot program, New Jersey lost an invaluable tool in preventing countless accident-related injuries and property damage. If you have been injured in a car accident caused by a distracted or careless driver, Camden County car accident lawyers at DiTomaso Law are here to help. We fight for the compensation you deserve for your medical expenses and lost income. Call us today at 856-414-0010 or contact us online to schedule a free case consultation. With offices conveniently located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Cherry Hill, New Jersey, we serve clients from the surrounding areas.