Personal Injury Law

Red-light cameras may be reducing number of Chicago car accidents at intersections

By Kris Briggs

Our personal injury lawyers in Chicago frequently report that intersections are among the deadliest places on the road. Speeding and red-light running are daily occurrences, which frequently lead to serious or fatal Chicago car accidents.

The National Safety Council recently released a new study that indicates that fatal crashes at intersections have gone down when it comes to traffic lights and red-light running. Fatal crashes at intersections with a traffic light have fallen by 17% during a five year period from 2005-2009. Also during the span from 2005 to 2009, red-light running fatal crashes decreased by 27%.

"This report shows that we are making large strides as a nation in reducing crashes at intersections,? said Janet Froetscher, president and CEO of the National Safety Council. ?However, despite the improvement there were still 12,396 fatal crashes at intersections with traffic lights, including 4,394 fatal intersection crashes involving red-light running during that five year period. While we are making progress, the 13,266 fatalities from these crashes remind us that we have much more to do. Each of us should consider these statistics and the measures we can take to protect ourselves, our families and our communities."

In 2009, Illinois reported over 80 fatal crashes at intersections with traffic signals according to the Fatality Analysis Reporting System used by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The state also reported at total of 67 fatal crashes at intersections with stop signs in 2009.

Cook County reported a total of 92 fatalities at intersection or intersection-related fatal crashes in 2009 according to the NHTSA. This was an increase from the previous year when Cook County reported 81 fatalities at intersections. Over the course of a five-year period from 2005-2009, the high was reached in 2007 when there were 124 fatalities at intersection or intersection-related crashes.

The great debate continues as to whether red light cameras installed at intersections are a saving grace, as we posted last month on our Chicago Car Accident Lawyer Blog. It is presumptuous to think that fatalities caused by intersection crashes will cease completely but studies are showing that something making a difference. Motorists growl about the fact that cameras don't serve a purpose except to be a money maker for municipalities where red light cameras are installed.

On the contrary, many cities are barely breaking even. CBS Chicago reported that many municipalities in Chicago are considering giving up red light cameras because the costs are exceeding the income. Revenues have dropped over the last couple of years. For example, one suburb of Chicago netted $1.1 million in revenue in 2008, compared to a mere $250,000 in 2010.

Are red light cameras working to reduce the number of fatalities occurring at intersections? Probably, but one thing is for sure. If motorists didn't speed through intersections to avoid having to sit at a red light, cameras wouldn't be needed at all.

Full post as published by Illinois Injury Law Blog on March 17, 2011 (boomark / email).