Citation

Claros BR, Sun C, Edara P. Traffic Injury Prev. 2017; 18(1): 70-76.

Affiliation

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering University of Missouri - Columbia C2640 Lafferre Hall, Columbia , MO 65211 Tel Fax Email: edarap@missouri.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/15389588.2016.1188203

PMID

27348043

Abstract

STRUCTURED ABSTRACT Objective Red light cameras (RLC) have generated heated discussions over issues of safety effectiveness, revenue generation, and procedural due process. This study focuses on the safety evaluation of RLC in Missouri, including the economic valuation of safety benefits. The publication of the national Highway Safety Manual (HSM) in 2010 produced statistical safety models for intersections and spurred the calibration of these models to local conditions.

METHODS This study adds to existing knowledge by applying the latest statistical methodology presented in the HSM and more current data. Driver behavior constantly changes due in part to driving conditions and the use of technology. The safety and economic benefit evaluation was performed using the Empirical Bayes method which accounts for regression to the mean bias. For the economic benefit evaluation, the KABCO crash severity scale and crash cost estimates were used. A total of 24 four-leg urban intersections were randomly selected from a master list of RLC in Missouri from 2006 to 2011. Additionally, 35 comparable non-treated intersections were selected for the analysis.

RESULTS and Conclusions The implementation of RLC reduced overall angle crashes by 11.6% while rear end crashes increased by 16.5%. The net economic crash cost-benefit of the implementation of RLC was $35,269 per site per year in 2001 dollars (approximately $47,000 in 2015 dollars). Thus RLC produced a sizable net positive safety benefit that is consistent with previous statistical studies.

Language: en