Study: Economic Savings Tied to Red-Light Cameras

A recent study tied red-light cameras to economic savings.

One red-light camera installed at one Murrieta intersection was projected to save the city and its residents $230,647 in the first year and more than $1 million over a five-year period, according to a study commissioned by Scottsdale, Ariz.-based American Traffic Solutions, the company that installed and maintains the cameras at three Murrieta intersections.

ATS released its findings July 16. The study conducted by John Dunham and Associates calculated projected savings for 25,000 U.S. communities based on reductions in traffic collisions at intersections equipped with the cameras, ATS said in a news release.

"Every traffic collision exacts its own financial costs on families, vehicle owners and the community at large. Medical care, vehicle removal and repair, and the attention from police and other emergency response personnel are just a few of the measurable costs associated with traffic crashes," ATS stated.

"Red-light safety cameras help reduce vehicle collisions by changing driver behavior. As a result, injuries and fatalities decrease, along with the tax burden to communities for emergency services and other costs tied to every traffic collision. Red-light safety cameras also allow police departments to provide uninterrupted traffic enforcement without assigning an officer to watch the intersection. This enables a department to enhance its enforcement efforts without added costs, providing a cost-savings to the community."

ATS stated that a comprehensive set of data from nationally-recognized sources was used to calculate the savings by applying total crash costs over a victim’s expected lifetime against expected crash reductions from red-light safety cameras.

"It’s indisputable that there is a cost associated with automobile crashes," said James Tuton, president and CEO of ATS. "This study finally provides us with the measurable economic benefits a city can realize by using even one red-light safety camera to decrease crashes in their community. However, the greatest benefit any community can achieve through road safety camera programs is saving people’s lives."

Murrieta city officials have stated the number of traffic collisions have decreased at intersections where the cameras are installed.

Murrieta voters may get the chance to vote in November on whether the cameras should be removed—that is if the can stand up

A full PDF of ATS' projected five-year economic savings for Murrieta is attached to this article.

Other city-specific savings can be reviewed at http://www.atsol.com/economicbenefit.