Red Light Cameras. There to protect you?

Researchers at the University of South Florida College of Public Health are calling into question some accepted science data about red light cameras and safety. In the view of lead author Barbara Langland-Orban, professor and chair of health policy and management at USF College of Public Health, “The rigorous studies clearly show red light cameras don’t work.”

“Instead they increase crashes and injuries as drivers attempt to abruptly stop at camera intersections. If used in Florida cameras could potentially create even worse outcomes die to the states high percent of elderly who are more likely to be injured or killed when a crash occurs.” This was reported in Science Daily(mar 12,2008)

The logic behind cameras at red lights is of course, to try to get people to obey the law for fear of getting a ticket in the mail. The reality, the research suggests, is less clear due to “research design flaws” like incomplete data and perhaps more importantly and more pertinent to this post the connection with funding from the insurance industry.

Now what would the insurance industry have to do with this research and why would they “slant” the evidence in a way that would in any way increase accidents? Well, while even the most jaded amongst us might not be able to believe that an industry that has been proven capable of denying rightful compensation to its insured( no, no liver for you) and has been accused of having systematic “McKinsey documents” for systematically denying compensation to victims in car crashes, it seems hard to believe they would want to cause more car crashes. Hard but not impossible.

But you don’t have to believe that “crazy” idea to believe that the insurance companies have some financial interest to gain from the cameras at red lights. Does your insurance go up if you get a citation?

And where the money interests drive the study of science and not the hunger for knowledge the outcome of that science must be questioned.

It is thought by some that these cameras may case more accidents when motorist stop when they should not in an attempt to NOT get a citation and in doing so cause an accident. In the interest of public safety more studies must be done on this before these camera become more widespread. The studies should be done by independent sources and the insurance company should not profit from any new citations from these cameras until this is resolved.

For the insurance company to make money from a creation of their own with dubious health benefits would be, dare I say it, hypocritical.