From Aeron-Thomas AS, Hess S. Red-light cameras for the prevention of road traffic crashes. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
2005, Issue 2:

(http://mrw.interscience.wiley.com/cochrane/clsysrev/articles/CD003862/frame.html)

“Authors’ conclusions
Red-light cameras are effective in reducing total casualty crashes. The evidence is less conclusive on total collisions, specific casualty
collision types and violations, where reductions achieved could be explained by the play of chance. Most evaluations did not adjust for
RTM or spillover, affecting their accuracy. Larger and better controlled studies are needed.

’Red-light cameras’ cut casualty crashes at junctions with traffic lights
Road crashes are a leading cause of death and injury. One common place for these to happen is at junctions (intersections) controlled by
traffic signals. ’Red-light cameras’ are now widely used to identify drivers that jump (’run’) red lights, who can then be prosecuted. This
review looked for studies of their effectiveness in reducing the number of times that drivers drive through red lights and the number
of crashes. Very little research has been done and much of it has not allowed for the statistical problems that occur when recording
this kind of information. However, five studies in Australia, Singapore and the USA all found that use of red-light cameras cut the
number of crashes in which there were injuries. In the best conducted of these studies, the reduction was nearly 30%. More research is
needed to determine best practice for red-light camera programmes, including how camera sites are selected, signing policies, publicity
programmes and penalties.”

From the World Health Organization World report on traffic injury prevention 2008:

(amro.who.int/English/DD/PUB/Summary_World_report_Road_safety.pd)

“Reducing the risk of junction crashes
Junction crashes are a leading source of road traffic injury. [...] A highly cost-effective measure is to install cameras that take photographs of vehicles going through traffic lights when signals are red. In Australia, installing red-light cameras reduced the total number of road crashes by 7% and 32% at treated sites (223). In Oxnard, California, install-
ing red-light cameras yielded a 29% reduction in
crashes with injury and a 68% reduction in front-
into-side crashes with injury at treated sites (224).”

Seriously, redlight camera fines are significantly less than their ticketed equivalent, and most of the fine goes to the camera company anyhow. How does this make us safer, again?

Fines are a joke. Just ask all those jackals who speed down the HOV lanes alone every day before double parking in a fire zone.

Much better to leave enforcement of this to police officers who can hand out tickets to those lucky enough to get caught when they have plenty of more serious work to do. That will surely be more effective than cameras that catch every single person who runs a light 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Stupid government and its constant attempts to make us “safer.” This injustice must not stand.