Here in the Atlanta metro region, more than once I've been honked at because I stopped for a red light. It was not at all ambiguous. If I hadn't stopped, I would have run the red light. It is not uncommon here for 3 or 4 cars to go thru a red light, keeping people in the other direction from being able to make a left turn.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110607121133.htm
ScienceDaily (June 7, 2011) — As automated traffic monitoring systems such as red light cameras keep a law enforcement "eye" on the streets across the country, many drivers accuse city governments of installing the monitors as a way to generate revenue. New research from the University of Missouri says the safety benefits of automated traffic monitoring systems far outweigh the potential for abuse.
"A red light camera is not a panacea for traffic problems; it is a very effective tool for safe and efficient transportation," said Carlos Sun, an associate professor of civil engineering in the MU College of Engineering. "Just like any other tool, it should be used responsibly in the proper situation. The decision to use automated traffic enforcement tools requires a balancing act, but we shouldn't take away an effective tool just because of the potential for abuse."
Sun, who recently earned his law degree, cited statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that indicate almost a third of all traffic fatalities are speed related, and that running red lights accounts for 883 fatalities and 165,000 injuries each year. Sun's examination of numerous automated speed enforcement studies from around the world found the cameras to be effective at improving safety overall. Sun also found evidence that the presence of cameras created a "spillover effect," as red lights were respected by drivers even where no cameras were present.
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