Program Success

A credible red light camera study was released by Iowa State University's Center for Transportation Research and Education.

The study found that Council Bluffs, one of several REDFLEX clients in Iowa, reportedly saw a 90 percent drop in red light running crashes, according to the results. Davenport saw a 40 percent drop. The study, sponsored by the Iowa Department of Transportation, focused on the three Iowa cities that employed REDFLEXred® cameras.

The Iowa State study notes that rear-end collisions did not increase with red light cameras. In Council Bluffs, total crashes at photo-enforced intersections decreased 44 percent after the cameras were installed. Also, a comparable decrease in total crashes was noted in Davenport.

Meanwhile, Clive's program began in 2006, so researchers compared the number of red light running violations at newly photo-enforced intersections compared to others. Clive intersections without cameras had 25 times more violations than those with cameras, according to the study.

One of the most recently-updated red light camera studies was conducted as a Virginia Tech University Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering analysis of Fairfax County red light cameras.

The Fairfax study was originally conducted in 2003 and updated in 2006. The conclusion is that red light cameras "have a positive effect on reducing violation rates at camera intersections," but the appropriate selection of intersections is key to making an impact on public safety.

Redflex engineers work with city police, public works and other departments to survey intersections to get a sense of which intersections have the highest rates of dangerous red light running incidents.

Knoxville, Tennessee recently announced that REDFLEXred® cameras made a significant impact on red light running, according to 2007 accident-reduction statistics. Police officials reported a 42 percent drop in angle crashes, 16 percent drop in rear-end crashes and 18 percent drop in total crashes.

Knoxville Police photo enforcement program administrator Capt. Gordon Catlett added that a “corresponding reduction in deaths, injuries and property damage” was also achieved by the presence of the REDFLEXred® technology that is currently expanding throughout Tennessee.

In 2005, the North Carolina State, Institute for Transportation Research and Education (ITRE) completed a one-year study of the effectiveness of red light camera programs in Raleigh, N.C. As part of the analysis, the ITRE conducted three types of studies of four collisions types. Their findings showed a reduction of collisions across the board.

The North Carolina State findings are summarized below:
- 42 percent reduction in angle accidents
- 25 percent reduction in Rear-end accidents
- 22 percent total reduction in red light related accidents

Many Redflex partner cities note drastic reductions in red light running as a result of installing automated enforcement cameras.

El Paso, Texas, for example, reduced intersection collisions by nearly 80 percent after the program started in 2006. Red light running violations are down by nearly 60 percent. The city has not seen any spike in rear-end crashes.