Insurance Companies and Floridas Traffic Camera Program

Studies have shown that the use of traffic cameras results in more accidents on our city streets. This is primarily due to the fact that motorists will instinctively "stop" at intersections equipped with cameras according to Barbars Langland-Orband, chair at the USF College of Public Health. She went on to say that the use of these systems in South Florida will lead to increased traffic homicide cases due to the fact that we have far more senior citizen drivers. "It shouldn't come as a surprise that elderly citizens are less likely to survive the impact of an accident than someone younger".

Even more startling is the fact that the U.S. House of Representatives had reported in as early as 2001 that cameras are associated with a significant increase in accidents. The report further stated that it is common for the timers on lights to be set in such a way as to increase the amount of tickets generated.

Alternative avenues of traffic safety improvement have been suggested by way of road design, and signal ergonomics. The USF College of Public Health suggests that when comparing the financial interest of the insurance industry with the effectiveness of camera implementation, we should be aware of the following:

States that were the first to implement cameras have reported an increase in traffic related injury which was directly attributed to the traffic camera program.

Traffic fatalities attributed to the running of red lights account for less than 4% of traffic fatalities in Florida. Intersection related fatalities in Florida are 4 times more likely to be attributed to cases other than the running of a red light.

Injuries resulting from running red lights have declined by 33% in under a decade without the use of traffic cameras.

The Transportation Research Counsel has reported that cameras are directly linked to increased auto accident costs.

Major studies that have concluded that traffic cameras actually reduced auto accidents have been found to be linked to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and contained major "design research" flaws.

Insurance companies are the leading advocate of traffic light camera systems.

David Demello, a Florida traffic system analyst, is fearful of the effect that such devices will have on our community. "When you examine the motives behind implementing camera systems in Florida, you quickly realize that it is all smoke & mirrors. Look a little further and you will certainly be disturbed at the loss of life that follows the implementation of these programs" he says.

Demello is not alone. In fact, many Florida citizens have grown distrusting of insurance companies and the red light camera program, following State Representative Ron Reagan's ties the Insurance Campaign Institute. Essentially a training ground for political campaigning, the ICI covers all facets strategic political maneuvering. Reagan, is said to have pushed the Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Act through after taking part in the program two times. The act allows cities to install red light cameras and is considered to be a pay back to insurance companies that assisted in getting him elected to the house. "As with most things, it comes down to money and power" says Demello as he shakes his head... "and alot of Florida motorists are going to be injured because of that.


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