Psy 409
12/04/06
Red Light Trouble
Lester Papalii
Instructions
for this activity are found at: www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy25/g25-oral1.htm
Instructor: Dr. Leon
James
Peter Rothe,
Editor (2002). Driving Lessons: Exploring Systems That Make Traffic Safer.
(
I. Red Light Cameras
A. The
effectiveness of red light cameras has been the subject of many studies.
B. Red
light cameras are automated systems designed to photograph vehicles in
violation of red traffic signals.
C.
They record date, time and location.
D. Red
light running occurs when drivers fail to stop their vehicles when instructed
to do so by red light signals.
II. Traffic Surveillance
A. Red
light cameras fall within the broad ideology of pathological deviance, where
cameras search for drivers who are high risk agents.
B. The
British Colombia minister of transportation mentions that photo radar targets
high risk and bad drivers.
C. The
D. The minister also mentions that they are
looking at bringing the high risk driver down to reasonable speed.
E.
Traffic safety personnel cannot assume speeding or running red lights to
be high risk driving simply because it is commonly regarded as such.
F.
Higher speeds do not necessarily increase crash rates; they increase
only the severity of injury.
G.
Photo radar systems can have ulterior motives besides traffic safety ie. Money.
III. Justifying Red Light
Cameras
A.
Public safety overrules most arguments against the implementation of
cameras.
IV. Scanning the Research
A. To
attain a reasonable measure of trends, a five year time series is required to
ensure that the years are representative.
B. Are
control sites used and compared to photo enforcement sites.
C.
Traffic volumes must also be taken into account.
D. Are
other intervening factors taken into account like weather, and media coverage.
E.
Many studies were conducted to determine if photo enforcement was self
supportive and if they modify driver behavior.
F. The
effectiveness of traffic regulations can be measured in terms of social
acceptance.
V. Social Impact
A. The
effectiveness of traffic regulations can be measured in terms of social acceptance.
B.
According to Baguley there are three types of red
light runners: drivers who are caught in the dilemma zone, drivers held up by
slower traffic or indecision, and those drivers who choose to run red lights on
purpose.
C. Media
focused upon traffic cameras can help or hurt support for red light cameras.
VI. Ethics
A.
Insurance companies and the balance between individual and social good
need to be recognized in the implementation of red light cameras.
VII. Privacy
A.
Legal experts conclude that red light cameras do not violate a citizen’s
legal right to privacy.
B.
The media plays a role in demonizing red lights as an invasion of
privacy.
VIII. Miscellaneous
A.
Local communities derive benefit from the knowledge that speeds will be
reduced and accidents will decrease.
B.
Do red light cameras increase rear end accidents? Evidence shows no correlation
C.
Injuries do decrease with red light cameras in certain areas.
D.
Red light runners do not represent a common or generalized definition.
E.
Database analysis indicates that red light runners were more likely to be
younger than age 30.
F.
Some studies show that money is saved when using red light cameras.
G.
Red light cameras are effective in reducing red running crashes and red
light violations.
H.
The installation of red light cameras cannot be isolated from other
factors.
Related Links:
My Home Page: http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leon/409af2006/papalii/papalii-home.htm
Class Home Page: www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy25/classhome-g25.htm