A report released Tuesday touting red-light cameras’ success in thwarting fatal accidents revealed that the cameras had hardly any impact on traffic safety in Washington and Baltimore.
In the District, there were 17 fatalities between 2004-08, after the introduction of red light cameras, down from 22 prior to the cameras’ installation. In Baltimore, fatalities fell from 14 to 11 — less than one death per year — with the cameras, according to the report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
The presence of red-light cameras anywhere in the city seemed to do little for overall safety. In D.C., fatalities at all intersections with traffic signals fell from 66 to 61 after the cameras were installed. In Baltimore, fatalities actually increased from 32 to 44 after the cameras were installed.
Arlington County, which had no red-light cameras during the study period, also saw a slight decrease in the number of traffic fatalities during the same period that traffic fatalities declined in cities that had red-light cameras. Overall fatalities at intersections with stop lights dropped to three between 2004-08, down from nine a decade earlier.
A look at numbers nationwide showed more promise for the cameras. Fatalities at intersections with traffic signals decreased by about 35 percent in cities with red-light camera programs, compared to a decline of 14 percent in cities without the cameras.
