Remember when there was a great rush to install intersection traffic cameras everywhere? They were sold to the public under the guise that they were for safety reasons, and that they would reduce the number of blown red light collisions.
We've seen study after study that has shown this assumption to not be true. In fact, lots of municipalities have gotten caught reducing the amount of time the light stays yellow, because as people stopped running the red lights, revenue from traffic fines declined, and it has become increasingly difficult to justify the expense of the cameras if they aren't pulling in big revenue streams.
Accidents could be significantly reduced if the amount of time the signal stayed yellow was increased slightly, studies have shown. No need for cameras. No fines to be collected. Increase the length of the yellow light a second or two, and safety improves.
But wait - there's a new opportunity for these cameras! Manufacturers are pitching these units to governments to use in their surveillance operations! That's right, more ways for your government to keep track of you. Imagine the benefit to them always knowing where you are, where you're going, where you've been, who was in the car with you, and so on.
Don't you feel more safe?
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