Red light cameras should be removed from operation as they do not do what they were originally intended to do. Red light cameras are a type of traffic control that capture an image of a vehicle that has entered an intersection despite the traffic sign showing red. Located on the side or corner of the intersection, red light cameras are often mistaken for traffic cameras. Red light cameras are surrounded by controversy; do they do what they were designed to do, do they cause more accidents, do they fine people who shouldn't be fining them? Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The use of red light cameras is widespread in numerous countries around the world. In 1965, Netherlands-based Gatso introduced red light cameras to the market; they have been used for traffic control in Israel since around 1969. The use of red light cameras began in the United States in the early 1990s in 26 states and the District of Columbia. Most states that use them have laws in place regarding them. to the use of red light cameras. For example, in New York State, the Vehicle and Traffic Law permits the use of red light cameras only in cities with populations greater than 1 million in New York City, Rochester, Buffalo, Yonkers, and Nassau and Suffolk. A state law went into effect in Florida on July 1, 2010, allowing all municipalities in the state to use red light cameras on all state highways and to fine drivers who run red lights, with the goal of enforce safe driving. The name given to the state law is the Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Act, named after a man killed in 2003 by a driver who ran a red light. Starting in 2011, some of the states that use red light cameras began banning the use of red light cameras. This may raise the question: If red light cameras are doing their job, why would states ban their use instead of adding them? Numerous studies have examined whether red light cameras are useful. A 2005 study by the U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) suggests that red light cameras reduce dangerous right-angle crashes. The study also found that an increase in the number of rear-end collisions may occur, causing the total number of collisions to remain unchanged. This FHWA study has been criticized for containing critical methodological and analytical flaws and for failing to explain an increase in fatalities associated with the use of red light cameras. (Bowman, J) The city of Aurora, Colorado has seen mixed results with red light cameras; after starting the application of cameras at 4 intersections, accidents decreased by 60% at one, increased by 100% at two and by 175% at the fourth. In 1965 the first red light camera system was introduced, using tubes stretched across the road to detect intersections. violation and then activate the camera. These cameras used film, which was given to local law enforcement for review and approval for ticketing. The cameras recorded: the date and time, the location and the time elapsed since the traffic light turned red and the vehicle passed the intersection. These events are captured as a series of photographs. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay It wasn't until 1997 when.