Honorable Council Members
This note regards the agenda item tomorrow regarding red light cameras.
A recent report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety that red light runners are causing more fatal collisions following
the ending of red light camera programs in a variety of cities.
Menlo Park has adopted a Vision Zero policy. According to the information in the study, red light cameras help the city to fulfill
the Vision Zero goal to eliminate serious injuries and deaths on our roadways.
https://www.iihs.org/iihs/news/desktopnews/new-guidelines-for-automated-enforcement-programs-emphasize-safety-amid-rise-in-red-light-running-crash-deaths
[https://www.iihs.org/iihs/news/desktopnews/new-guidelines-for-automated-enforcement-programs-emphasize-safety-amid-rise-in-red-light-running-crash-deaths]
As cited in the article linked below, "the IIHS reports that 811 people were killed in crashes caused by red light runners
nationwide in 2016, an increase of 17 percent compared to the previous four-year average. The rise in red light-running fatalities
coincides with a decline in the number of cities using camera enforcement to deter red-light running. Between 2012 and 2016, the
number of red light cameras in operation fell 21 percent...
A 2016 IIHS study found that the fatal red-light running crash rate in cities that shut off their cameras increased 30 percent
relative to similar cities that had not. In cities that had eliminated camera enforcement, the overall fatal crash rate at
signalized intersections was 16 percent higher than in cities where the programs were maintained."
There is some mixed information suggesting that red light cameras may increase overall collisions. However, red light cameras
result in a reduction in right angle, "t-bone" collisions that result in more deaths and severe injuries. The types of collisions
that may increase are rear-end collisions that result in fewer deaths and serious injuries.
Red light camera programs can garner pushback from residents who are concerned that the goal of the program may be to raise
revenue, rather than to increase safety. In order to be effective and sustainable, here are some helpful recommendations - there
are more recommendations in this linked article:
https://usa.streetsblog.org/2018/07/25/as-cities-turn-off-red-light-cameras-red-light-runners-claim-more-lives/
[https://usa.streetsblog.org/2018/07/25/as-cities-turn-off-red-light-cameras-red-light-runners-claim-more-lives/]
* Put the cameras at the most dangerous intersections
* Use standard signal timing
* Allocate any revenue over costs to fund street safety programs
* Collect and publish data about how the program is functioning.
* Pay based on costs, not number of citations
* Sliding-scale fines and alternatives to payment for low-income drivers
In sum, red light cameras, especially when implemented with the good practices above, help the city to support our Vision Zero
policy with a goal of eliminating fatalities and serious injuries on our roadways.
Police officer enforcement is helpful, but police officers cannot monitor dangerous intersections all of the time. Cameras can,
deterring red light running.
Please keep the red light cameras in place to improve the safety of our dangerous intersections and help advance our Vision Zero
goals.
Thank you,
Adina LevinMenlo Park Resident650-646-4344
