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Avenue of the Giants Weekend Run - Sat. March 23, 2024

Saturday will be a very full day of cruising from Novato up through the Avenue of the Giants and ending at Eel River Brewing in Fortuna. Sun...

Costa Mesa Discovers Red-light Cameras Increase Accident Rates

The Costa Mesa, CA City Council received a report that compared two of its most busy intersections that are equipped with red-light cameras with four that did not have the cameras. The report compared their performance between 2001 to 2003 (before cameras) and 2006 to 2008 (after cameras). The total number of accidents at the intersections with red-light cameras increased 13 percent while accidents at the camera-free intersections decreased five percent decrease. Rear end collisions also jumped 20 percent with cameras, and dropped 10 percent without them. Police Sergeant Rob Sharpnack indicated told the council an increase in rear-end collisions accounted for almost the total increase in accident rates at red light camera equipped intersections. He said, “[r]ear end collisions usually increase due to some motorists braking quickly in anticipation of the red-light camera activation, while the motorist directly behind does not react in time.”

[Source: The Truth About Cars]