League City officials claim that red light cameras reduce accidents

Now that a year has passed, officials in League City are claiming that the installation of eight red light cameras was a success.  The red light cameras, operated by Redflex Traffic Systems of Phoenix, AZ, were installed at three of League City’s most dangerous intersections.

 

Over the year they’ve been in operation, League City sent out 39,115 red light citations to motorists.  The police rejected over 19 thousand of the citations, however, because the license plate of the vehicles captures in the photograph were unclear.

 

The red light cameras have been a boon to the city’s coffers.  In this first year of operation, the cameras brought in $1.3 million; $392,113 of that had to be paid to Redflex Traffic Systems for their operation of the cameras.  The League City police department will receive $255,000 to use for safety initiatives.

 

Do red light cameras in Texas cause more accidents?

 

League City officials claim that they have not seen an increase in rear-end accidents or any other type of collision as a result of the cameras being installed.  In fact, they believe that the three intersections with cameras have become safer as a result.

 

Here in Houston, however, the red light cameras are more contentious.  There have been efforts to remove the cameras from Houston intersections, where their detractors claim they actually lead to more accidents – not less.  Houston currently has 70 red light cameras in operation, and if just 9 cameras in League City are pulling in $1.3 million it is unlikely that Houston officials will let their red light camera cash cow go without a fight.