The 2016 data for red light camera use is out, and while it’s a big revenue generator for Nassau county, it doesn’t appear to be making things safer. In fact, red light accidents are on the rise according to the new report.
If you receive a red light ticket, there is a “driver responsibly fee” which increased from $30 to $45. This is part of the reason revenue increased for the first time since 2012. According to Nassau county officials the fee pays for issuing, processing and adjudicating violations. It is among several penalties that have brought the cost of red-light camera violations to $150 each. The funds collected are deposited into the county’s general fund. In 2016, red-light cameras in Nassau county at 86 intersections produced 505,089 tickets that generated $48.5 million in fines and administrative and late fees, according to the report.
The total number of crashes involving injuries at 84 intersections with active red-light cameras declined in Nassau in 2016 by nearly 39 percent from the period before the cameras were installed, according to a new report from the county, however the 2016 number was 6.8 percent above the 2015 figure.
Compared to 2015, 2016 had an alarmingly higher number of injuries and accidents.
Despite these increases, public safety experts have credited red-light camera programs with reducing the most serious collisions. In 2016, there were no reported fatalities at any of Nassau’s red-light camera intersections, the report shows.
According to attorney Neal Goldstein, “While the intention of these tickets is to deter reckless driving and keep people safer on the roads, it appears the program is having the opposite effect. People are so afraid of getting a ticket, that they are slamming the brakes and people behind them don’t always have enough time to stop. Rear end crashes are up over 10% and I’m not surprised. It’s great that there were no reported fatalities but the rest of the data is not so encouraging.”
Want to know more about auto accidents caused by a negligent driver as it relates to your car accident case? Maybe you were rear-ended by someone in attempt to stop at a red light, or maybe someone ran a red light and hit you. There are many scenarios that could happen where your injuries are due to someone else’s carelessness and negligence. Call us today for a free case consultation at 516-222-4000.
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