Not entirely accurate. They do increase rear end collisions when some people react to the shortened amber lights and the person behind them don't. Most locales shorten the amber lights when revenues are not up to their expectations.
There are very bad accidents at lights. They are the dreaded T-bones which are usually caused by distracted or impaired drivers blowing through red lights they did not see, not someone sneaking through a stale amber light or someone lawfully completing a left turn when traffic clears after the light has changed. I don't see how the red light cameras can fix stupid.
You said — There are very bad accidents at lights. They are the dreaded T-bones which are usually caused by distracted or impaired drivers blowing through red lights they did not see, not someone sneaking through a stale amber light or someone lawfully completing a left turn when traffic clears after the light has changed. I don’t see how the red light cameras can fix stupid.
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It’s so easy to be distracted while driving. I know that’s true as I’ve been distracted. I don’t even like the radio on, I don’t talk on the phone while driving; I’ll pull over. I cut short any conversations with people in the car and try to ignore someone trying to talk to me. I do want to keep good concentration on the road and traffic, as I know how easy it is to become distracted for a few seconds and those few seconds is enough to get you in a wreck.
However, I hate to say it, but even without any external distractions, one’s own mind can wander and/or be occupied with some thing that you’re thinking about and you can blow right through a red light. I’ve done it before, just on the basis of some thoughts in my head. And that’s scary. So, I try to keep up my thoughts to the road only, when I’m driving.
It’s not just stupid people, but simply being distracted for a variety of reasons for just a couple of seconds that can do it.
And you’re right about how easy it is for people to get nailed at red/green lights and someone running the red. I usually make it a practice to not go through the intersection when it turns green, until I look both ways, and if it is already green, I’m looking both ways, too, as far ahead as I can see each way. I know that people can come running through and I’ve avoided being smacked on several occasions by simply waiting when I saw someone coming and they ran a red light by over two seconds or more after turning red.
So, if the iPhone warns people about an intersection that is dangerous, I think that’s a good safety measure...