Kissimmee Red Light Cameras Aren’t Reducing Crashes
When the Kissimmee Police recently compiled traffic data and selected the top 10 intersections for crashes, they found that half of the list are already under red light camera surveillance, according to this story which appeared in late May. Red light camera enforcement is supposed to reduce crashes and increase driver safety. These results say that 3 of the 5 intersections have increased their annual crash numbers since camera installation.
One explanation offered is that tourists are a large component of drivers in Kissimmee, and they are not aware of the cameras.
The Police Department isn’t alone in these findings. A national study by the NHTSA also found increased crashes after camera installation, especially in rear-end crashes. In a statewide study, the Florida DOT found a 12% increase in crashes after cameras were installed. But note: in that same study, crash-related injuries fell by 2% and fatalities by a whopping 39%.