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Red light cameras and tickets reduce the number of most dangerous crashes.
T-bone and right-angle accidents drop 29% while overall crashes decline by 20%, according to the Federal Highway Administration.
Research shows ticketing leads to more awareness of the camera, which also reduces red-light running.
When red light cameras were turned off, year-over-year research from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows crashes increased again by 30%.
FHWA data also shows rear-end collisions increase by 15% at intersections with red light cameras due to abrupt braking. Rear-end collisions are less severe. Additionally, since 2023, more than 28% of the U.S. vehicles on the road are equipped with automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems, which reduce the severity of rear-end crashes. As of 2026, 90% of new cars in the U.S. have AEB systems.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
- Federal Highway Administration Safety evaluation of red light cameras
- Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Red light running
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