Accidents up near red-light cameras

CBS 2's David Goldstein and team got the data from the city and found that instead of fewer accidents, the number of traffic accidents has gone up at most of the Los Angeles intersections where red-light cameras have been installed. Here's the story and map link and the video.

We looked at every accident at every red light camera intersection for six months of data before the cameras were installed and six months after.

The final figures? Twenty of the 32 intersections show accidents up after the cameras were installed! Three remained the same and only nine intersections showed accidents decreasing.

What happens, apparently, is that some percentage of drivers who see the camera flash slam on the brakes, then are hit from behind. The cities of Montclair, Upland, El Monte and Fullerton have discontinued red-light cameras in part because of accidents, says CBS 2.