One, Two, Three Red Light

Ever wonder how this camera works? According to Hamilton (2001), it works as such; first, once the light turns red, a camera 60ft. from the intersection is activated. Next, metal detectors, which are under the concrete, detect moving cars and calculate their speed. Then, cars moving too fast to stop are snapped from behind, both before and after the intersection, close ups are taken of the license plate. Lastly, images are reviewed by a police officer and citations are mailed within five days.

A common misconception is that the cameras were set up by the police force, but this not to be true. In fact, these cameras are set up by private law firms who get a cut on each ticket issued. These stats were compiled by Hamilton (2001), a standard ticket for running a red light cost about $90, with these cameras set up the company that set it up gets up to $70 per ticket they issue. With companies getting this money from each ticket San Diego has led the way, making $15.9 million since October of 1998, and Washington D.C. follows in right behind them with $12.8 million since August 1999, these figures are from their respective dates indicated before and compiled as of September of 2001. Therefore, San Diego law firms that installed these cameras were raking roughly $5.3 million a year. Although some people view these cameras as an invasion of their privacy, it is not true; though only few cameras take pictures of the front of the car, the majority of the cameras just take a picture from the back then a picture of the license plate.

According to a Federal Highway Administration study done in 2000, since the installment of these cameras at red lights, front and side crashes were reduced by 25%, while rear end crashes were up 15% (Parker 2006). These rear end crashes have increased because people do not want to get the ticket for running the red light, so they hit their brakes, but the people behind them cannot stop as fast and hit the back of the car in front of them. A police officer should be present in order someone to get a ticket; the officer on duty should also get a cut of the millions of dollars that these private law firms are making.

With cameras at red lights the world would have more police men for other tasks, such as robberies or murders. But while doing this research we must question this argument, there are many pros and cons to each side, but which one is better for the society? Perhaps a better alternative to this problem would be a live video shot that records everything that happens. Now instead of a picture, there would be a video to prove someone ran a red light. This would work the same way as hidden camera use for surveillance in a store.