Atlanta Red Light Cameras Do Not Promote Safety

According to a recent City of Atlanta press release, the automated Red Light Cameras at numerous Atlanta intersections are there to “promote public safety.” As an Atlanta injury firm which handles many car wreck cases, we have doubted the accuracy of this statement, since it was made. Now, with the help of the Georgia State Department of Transportation, recent research shows that this is simply not the case.

The City petitioned the state department of transportation to allow it to keep the red light camera at the intersection of Freedom Parkway and Boulevard. Part of the rationale employed by the City of Atlanta to allow the automated ticket writer to stay was that the red light camera cut down on catastrophic accidents such as T-bone collisions at the intersection. The Georgia Department of Transportation studied the impact of the red light camera at this intersection and concluded there was little evidence that the device cut down on the type of collisions caused by cars running a red light at the intersection.

It now seems clear that cities and other municipalities who implement red light cameras are interested little in safety, but rather are trying to drum up revenues. Not only do these devices not promote safety, they can almost certainly be counted on contributing to their fair share of auto accidents when drives, who would otherwise pass through the intersection without harm, panic when the detect the red light cameras and suddenly slam on their brakes.

In addition, WXIA-TV performed its own investigation and found that T-bone collisions actually INCREASED at five intersections in which the City of Atlanta had installed red light cameras. Despite these findings, the City of Atlanta petitioned the Georgia Department of Transportation to allow it to keep the red light camera at the Freedom Parkway intersection. There is little wonder why this would be the case. These red light cameras need to be removed from all City of Atlanta intersections. The safety and well-being of the City of Atlanta motorists is with much more than the increased traffic infraction revenue generated by the red light cameras.

Robert J. Fleming, Esq. is a partner with Katz Wright & Fleming LLC in Atlanta, Georgia. He is an experienced injury lawyer who has been handling wrongful death cases, dental malpractice, bus accidents, car accident cases and premises injury cases for individuals and families who have been harmed, injured or died as a result of the carelessness or negligence of another for more than 20 years. He practices in and around the Atlanta, Georgia area including handling lawsuits in Fulton, DeKalb, Clayton, Gwinnett, Cobb and other counties and nearby cities including Alpharetta, Austell, Avondale Estates, Chamblee, College Park, Conyers, Duluth, Decatur, Doraville, Hapeville, Johns Creek, Jonesboro, Lawrenceville, Norcross, Peachtree City, Riverdale, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Stone Mountain, and Smyrna. If you have been seriously injured in a car accident and would like discuss your case, contact Robert J. Fleming directly on (404) 525-5150 or contact us online.

Sources:

Eric Stirgus. “Red light camera claim true, but…” Atlanta Journal Constitution, November 29, 2010.