http://saferstreetsla.org/308/lies-distortions-redlight-camera-debate/

Lies and Distortions in the Red-Light Camera Debate
Posted on June 26, 2011 by ssla

The proponents of red-light ticketing cameras just can’t seem to tell the truth.  The latest example of this was the outlandish behavior of Councilmember Tony Cardenas and Sgt. Mathew MacWillie, head of the LAPD’s photo red-light program during the City Council debate on June 21st.

Using a bit of verbal trickery, Cardenas attempted to leave his colleagues and the public with the mistaken impression that the greatest number of fatalities that occur each year in the City of L.A. are due to red-light running.  This, however, is categorically untrue as you’ll see below.

If you were listening closely though, you might have noticed that Cardenas first qualified his remarks as only being applicable to “intersection” collisions.  How clever. Examining collisions or fatalities that occur only in an intersection makes it highly likely that you’ll find mostly red-light related collisions.  It’s a lot like saying that the most common type of collision that occurs in a crosswalk involves a pedestrian.  No shit.  Yet even with this attempt at subterfuge, Cardenas is wrong.  In 2009, there were 59 fatalities that occurred in an intersection.  An unsafe left turn, not red-light running, caused the highest number.  The same is true for non-fatal collisions.  Unsafe left turns cause the largest number of collisions that occur in intersections.

Apparently, Sgt. MacWillie didn’t seem to grasp the nuance that Cardenas was using to mislead the public.  When asked, MacWillie stated unequivocally that, “Here in the City of Los Angles, red light is the leading cause of traffic collisions here in the city.  There’s approximately five of them, red light being number one, speed being number two, left turn violations number three, pedestrian violations number four, and DUI related traffic collisions number five.  So red-light related traffic collisions are at the top of the list.”

Cardenas then tried to steer him back on track by asking, “So red-light traffic collisions, when people violate a red light and get into a collision, that’s even higher ranking as far as the number of fatalities as a DUI collision?”  MacWillie responds, “Yes sir.”

But nothing they said is even remotely true, not by a long shot.  The leading cause of traffic collisions here in the City of Los Angeles is, by far, speed related violations.  They comprise about 33% of all collisions citywide.  Where do red-light related collisions rank? Fifth out of five at 4.5%.  All the other causes of collisions mentioned by MacWillie, including DUI at 10%, rank higher.  Here’s the actual ranking:

Speed – 33%
Unsafe Lane Change – 15%
DUI related – 10%
Left Turn – 8.5%
Red-light – 4.7%

As for fatal collisions, the ranking is:

DUI related – 45%
Speed – 13%
Left Turn – 7%
Unsafe Lane Change – 7%
Stop Sign – 4%
Red-light – 4%

Clearly, DUI is the leading factor in fatal collisions in the city, far eclipsing red-light related collisions.

(Ban the Cams note:  In the crash facts published by many states, there can be up to 3 factors:  so if you have a Drunk who is speeding and runs a light, it will show up 3 TIMES!    Greg Mauz did a good post on the exageration of speed related fatalties here:  http://www.gosanangelo.com/news/2010/feb/10/speed-related-traffic-fatalities-grossly-by/)

In my opinion, it’s also pretty clear if you watch the exchange unfold that this bit of political theater was rehearsed prior to MacWillie’s appearance.  Here’s the clip so you can judge for yourself.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4j5Q5oO9oYM

Cardenas then trotted out the age old gambit of “do it for the children”, saying, “Fatal collisions tend to take innocent lives and if you look at the statistics, more often than not, we have children who lose their lives”.  Once again, not even remotely true.  In 2009, out of 245 fatalities, those under 18 years old comprised only 7 or 2.9% of all fatal collisions.  Of those, four were deemed to be at fault for their own fatality including the single one that was red-light related.  Perhaps Mr. Cardenas had blinders on when he “look(ed) at the statistics”.

I think it’s shameful that a Councilmember, in collusion with a sworn officer of the LAPD, would cook up such flagrantly disingenuous testimony before the City Council.  For anyone who previously doubted the lengths to which the camera proponents will go to continue this ticketing scheme, one need only watch what unfolded at City Hall on the 21st.

Also in the “how could you be so wrong” category is the ridiculous assertion by Pauline Chan of the LADOT that the city would need permission from the State to lengthen yellow light times.  Here’s what she said:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Bet0bsEbUys

Chan is at best confused, at worse being intentionally misleading.  Nothing in the Manual on Traffic Control Devices prevents a jurisdiction from increasing their yellow and all-red signal phases by a second or so.  No permission is required for “experimentation”.   Here’s what the manual says about setting the yellow time:

The minimum yellow change interval shall be in accordance with Table 4D-102(CA). The posted speed limit, or the prima facie speed limit established by the California Vehicle Code (CVC) shall be used for determination of the minimum yellow change interval for the through traffic movement.  The minimum yellow change interval for the through movement and the protected left-turn or protected right-turn may be increased based on a field review or by using appropriate judgment. That judgment may be based on numerous factors, including, but not limited to, 85th percentile speed, intersection geometry and field observation of traffic behavior.

Here’s what the manual says about setting the all-red phase:

The duration of a red clearance interval shall be predetermined. Guidance: A red clearance interval should have a duration not exceeding 6 seconds.

Note that the yellow timing requirements are for minimum times and that the only guidance on the all-red phase is to not exceed 6 seconds.  It should be noted that in some particularly dangerous intersections in the city, the all-red phase is as short as .5 seconds.

Ms. Chan, who I believe is a certified traffic engineer, apparently needs some continuing education classes.

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