On Dec. 16, it was officially be five years without red light cameras in New Jersey, and I’m glad to report we are both still alive. For a couple years the red light camera media propaganda machine warned us of being killed by a T-bone accident, but it hasn’t happened yet because we are both still alive.
Five years ago, I spent a lot of time advocating against the use of red light cameras in New Jersey and used New Jersey Department of Transportation accident data to prove it was just a right turn on red cash cow for towns. I understand editorials aren’t usually fact based writings, but I encourage you to google that my home town, Cherry Hill where red light cameras were the second most profitable red light cameras in America five years ago.
I also encourage you to google the number one most profitable intersection in America at City Hall in Philadelphia. They had two pedestrian deaths while in operation on Sept. 30, 2015. Why did two pedestrians die at a red light camera when I thought the red light cameras made intersections safer? The answer is simple: red light cameras are the only traffic safety device that causes your eyes to focus more time watching the traffic light and in return causes more rear end accidents and more pedestrian injuries and deaths than any other traffic safety device in the United States. Other states like Texas have realized that red light cameras don’t work and have turned them off too.
I am done debating red light camera cash cows with New Jersey politicians. Just be happy driving around New Jersey today that we have no more red light cameras because all they did was cause more rear end accidents and pedestrian injuries and deaths.
Rick Short
