Running traffic lights is illegal, and people have gotten away with it so long that they expect no one to be ticketed—that is until one of their loved ones is killed.
Except now you have drivers slamming on their brakes when they see a yellow as they enter the intersection. And that's going to get people killed.
I'd be willing to be the red-light runners who are causing deadly accidents are running reds long after they've turned, when cross-traffic has actually had a chance to proceed through the intersection.
Here in the Albuquerque area, red light running is a common thing. Usually it's a long line of traffic and the last cars through don't want to wait for the next light. Rarely does the cross-traffic even have a chance to start up until the intersection is cleared.
The problem with red light cameras is that the yellow is often shortened to catch more drivers in the grey area of "should I maintain speed or should I stop"? Now, instead of side-impact crashes, you get rear-end versions as people slam on the brakes to avoid the camera. If the yellow is the proper length, most people stop easily for the red.
Anymore out here, you don’t dare start moving when the light turns green, because you’ll be t-boned by four or five cars that regularly run every single light cycle at just about every intersection in town.
The people who bitch about red light cameras are usually one of the offenders who is mad about being caught by one. Pay the fine and stop running the red light.
Problem solved.