News Release

Red Light Running More than Triples in Virginia Beach after Red Light Camera Law Expires

Richmond, VA (January 16, 2007) — New research by Old Dominion University has documented that red light running violations in Virginia Beach have skyrocketed since the law that allowed the city to use red light cameras was allowed to expire in 2005.

Dr. Bryan Porter has led a team of researchers reviewing data collected both before, during and after the city's six-month deployment of the technology before the law was allowed the sunset. The results show that red light cameras provided a strong deterrent against red light running and that once the cameras were turned off, aggressive drivers returned to their old habits.

“Photo red enforcement in Virginia Beach was a success in reducing red light running,” stated Dr. Bryan Porter, Associate Professor and Assistant Chair, Department of Psychology at Old Dominion University. “Our research showed the relative risk of red light running was 3.59 times higher at previously camera-enforced intersections by one year after the law expiration. This is the first systematic effort to document red light running when cameras “go dark” because they have been discontinued, in this case, through expiring legislation.”

The findings were presented at a press conference held in Richmond today with lawmakers who have introduced a number of bills that would either restore the ability of the seven Virginia communities that had cameras to use them again or expand the authority to use the technology statewide.

“This new research should put to rest the weak argument that red light cameras did not serve as a deterrent against aggressive drivers,” said Jeff Agnew of the National Campaign to Stop Red Light Running. “Unfortunately, this study also shows how bad driver behavior can get when they believe they will no longer be held accountable for their actions.”

Virginia traffic safety advocates believe that red light camera technology is an effective and proven way to deter red light running and save lives in Virginia and, therefore, is worthy of consideration by the full committee.

“AAA urges members of the General Assembly to listen to the seven in ten Virginians who favor the use of red light cameras to ticket red light runners at the most dangerous intersections in the commonwealth which have a high incidence of red light running,” Martha M. Meade, spokesperson for AAA Mid-Atlantic added. New poll data released by AAA today revealed that more that 72% percent of AAA members polled, within the past 10-12 weeks, believe that the use of automated enforcement would be an effective deterrent to aggressive driving.

The Virginia Photo Red Coalition is strongly urging the state legislature to approve statewide authority so Virginia communities have the ability to use automated enforcement technology to enforce red light violations in the Commonwealth.

Consider the following:

• In 2005, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation, over 7,000 crashes were attributed to red light running in Virginia.

• Motorists are more likely to be injured in crashes involving red light running than in other types of crashes, with injuries occurring in 45 percent of the crashes.

• Properly operated red light camera programs increase safety, not revenue, for localities. In many instances, the fines collected from camera violations do not pay the cost of operating the programs. The real benefit of these programs is to make dangerous intersections safer for motorists.

• Red light running has a societal cost. The crashes, deaths, and injuries cost our nation close to $14 billion annually.

The Virginia Photo Red Coalition includes representatives from: AAA Mid-Atlantic; AAA Tidewater Virginia; Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety; American Insurance Association; Arlington, Virginia; the City of Virginia Beach Police Department; The Fairfax County Police Department; National Campaign to Stop Red Light Running; Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police; City of Alexandria, Virginia Association of Driver Education and Traffic Safety (VADETS); Virginia Injury Prevention Society; and other transportation safety advocates.

The National Campaign to Stop Red Light Running is a national advocacy group guided by an independent advisory board that includes leaders from the fields of traffic safety, law enforcement, transportation engineering, health care and emergency medicine, as well as crash victims. More information on the Campaign can be found at www.stopredlightrunning.com.