[quantim]

that they can prevent both by lengthening yellow lights.

That's silly.  We all know that folks constantly 'gun' the throttle in order to make the light:

1. To prevent running a red light and getting caught.
2. To beat the traffic and get to work on time.
3. Prove you can beat the system.
4. Show off your new SUV.

In reality, all a longer yellow light would do would be to encourage more people to blast through intersections at higher average speeds as they have a longer warning to do so, because we can.  

It would be deadly.  

But back on topic, an electronic 'ticket' is not congruent with established policies of our judicial system.

[JTN]

that they can prevent both by lengthening yellow lights.

That's silly.

The Red Light Running Crisis

A case study of two intersections entitled "The Influence of the Time Duration of Yellow Traffic Signals on Driver Response" (1980), reported that a 30 percent increase in yellow time yielded substantial safety benefits. "The Results in Table 3 show that the extension of yellow duration reduced the frequency of potential conflicts in all cases studied," (page 27).

The first site studied found an extra second and a fraction of yellow had an immediate and definitive safety pay-off: "An increase of 1.4 seconds or about 30 percent in yellow duration virtually eliminated all potential conflicts at the Maryland site," (page 27, emphasis added).

Similarly, the second site in Georgia realized a 75 percent reduction in potential conflicts following a 32 percent increase in yellow time.

...

This truth is not disputed. Even in literature intended to promote the use of red light one finds the inescapable truth that lengthening the yellow can be the appropriate thing to do if there's a problem. In the study "Red Light Running and Sensible Countermeasures", author Richard Retting agrees that longer yellow times can often substantially reduce accidents and red-light running:

Signals that provide insufficient yellow intervals cause some drivers to run red lights inadvertently. However, many drivers who run red lights are provided adequate opportunity to stop safely but choose instead to proceed through a red light signal…. (Page 1.)

Increases in the length of the yellow signal toward values associated with the ITE-proposed recommended practice significantly decreased the chance of red-light running. (Page 2.)

[supercat]

That's silly. We all know that folks constantly 'gun' the throttle in order to make the light:

Some other reasons:

1. Make one's intentions clear to other motorists.
2. Avoid the possibility of trying unsuccessfully to stop (which is far more dangerous than going through the intersection a quarter-second late)
3. Optimize traffic flow