(Thanks to www.stpetecameras.org for the link!)

(Ban the Cams note:  Arnold has been reported to be now citing right turn on reds to make up the loss of their short yellow scam! http://www.banthecams.org/201106201353/Arnold-ATS-Town-goes-back-on-word-on-Right-turns-to-make-up-for-loss-of-revenue-from-Longer-Ambers.html )

http://www.fox2now.com/news/ktvi-longer-yellow-lights-in-mo-are-stopping-red-light-runners-20110622,0,699828.story

Longer Yellows Mean Less Red Light Camera Tickets
MoDOT Is Changing Every Light In The State and Some Believe It'll Kill Red Light Cameras
    
By Chris Hayes
 
Reporter
 
5:28 p.m. CDT, June 22, 2011
ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI (KTVI - FOX2now.com ) Hundreds of fewer drivers are running red lights at one intersection on 141.

Fox 2 Investigator Chris Hayes found out why -- a MoDOT program to change yellow light times all across the state.  Some believe it could wipe out the need for red light cameras.

MoDOT is changing traffic signal times in response to a new Federal study that found we need more time to stop.  It's not because of what we drive, because newer cars are getting better at stopping.

MoDOT's Tom Blair said, "Cars do stop, just as well or better than they have in the past. [Chris Hayes interjected] This is our problem. [Blair added] This is our problem.  Our motorists, myself included, we need more time to stop.  We have too many things that distract us from doing our due diligence which is being an alert driver."
   
So MoDOT is adapting to how we react when approaching an intersection. Engineers call it the dilemma zone.  We all get that feeling when the light turns yellow, 'can I make it?' A lot of it depends on how fast you're going.  So MoDOT is changing yellow lights to make it comfortable for you to stop and they're basing it on the average speeds people are going."

Fox 2 requested citation numbers from red light cameras in the city of Arnold, to see what happened when MoDOT changed the light at 141 and Astra Way this past February 24th.

Last May, Arnold cited 709 people for running a red light on camera.
May 2011? Arnold cited 17 people.

Arnold Police Chief Robert Shockey said, "It's a lot.  It was shocking."
   
In a good way, he added, "It's a win, win and our goal is to get that number to zero and we're going to keep working on that." 

But will the safer driving last?

MoDOT's Tom Blair cautioned, "I think the jury's still out, Chris, on the reduction of red light violations that we've seen in 141 in the city of Arnold. We have to see 2-3 months, 6 months, a year from now, does that continue to produce that?  Or do all the motorists just re-adapt and now they start running the new red light time?"
 
Blair hopes that's not the case.  Chris Hayes asked, "Could it make a red light camera zone obsolete?
[Blair responded] We would hope so.  I mean MoDOT would hope so.  Red light photo enforcement is only one tool in the toolbox of safety and if yellow and red time can keep an intersection safe and we can still keep the mobility, that's a perfect world.  We're not in the business of trying to penalize anyone."

Councilwoman Doris Borgelt ran on a campaign against red light cameras.  She believes the change in yellow lights is overdue.  She said, "I realize that people think that red light cameras are safety measures, but if you implement the true safety measures, it could eliminate the need for cameras."

You might not pick up on the changes to yellow light times.  Some are fractions of a second.  Very few are in the full one second range that was added to the light on 141.  We'll stay on top of this story to see where else the new program is stopping red light runners.

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