Originally Posted by Dogbait
Here is a summary of the results of some red light cameras in Portland, Oregon. It's a PDF file.
Red Light Summary
These are just the raw facts... draw your own conclusions.
Amazing. They turn on the cameras and
immediately there's a reduction in violations. People don't even have to get their ticket in the mail to start becoming repentant. Maybe the city could have saved a bundle just by putting up "Photo enforcement" signs and a little light that flashes from time to time.
At first it looks like a real draw down of violations. But what the comparison with the baseline really shows is that real peace officers are much more effective at identifying violators than automated cameras are. The lights aren't catching
more violators -- they're letting +45% off the hook.