Johnson City police say hundreds of people a day run red lights at the intersection of West Market Street and State of Franklin Road. Beginning this weekend, if you're among that group, cameras will catch you.
Sunday marks the start of a 30-day warning period for Johnson City's first red light cameras. Police say they need cameras at the West Market Street and State of Franklin Road intersection, along with five others, because they are just too dangerous.
"We just want you to be able to come to our city and be safe while you're here,” Captain Debbie Botelho said.
Five years after red light cameras first sparked the Johnson City Police Department’s interest, officers see plenty of benefits. Police use statistics from 2003 to 2007 to justify the need for the cameras at some of the city's most heavily traveled intersections.
During that four-year span, the city reported 358 accidents and 48 injuries at West Market Street and State of Franklin Road. At the city's nine other busiest intersections the number of crashes were lower, anywhere from 79 to 350 depending on the intersection. The number of injuries at those other intersections ranged from anywhere from five to 46. During that time period, intersection crashes claimed the life of one person.
"We think that these numbers are significant and do warrant this type of program," Capt. Mark Sirois said.
Police could not specify how many of those crashes were the direct result of someone running a red light. However, while there were 2,250 crashes at the top 10 busiest intersections from 2003 to 2007, officers ticketed 565 drivers for running red lights at those intersections.
"When you compare that to the number of red light runners when we did our survey, the potential is much greater for injuries or accidents there and that's what we're trying to prevent,” Capt. Botelho said.
According to police, if officers can stop 600 people a day from running lights at these busy intersections, the cameras could save countless lives.
“What we’re trying to do with the traffic safety cameras is to minimize the number of crashes and injuries,” Capt. Sirois said. “Not just at the intersections, but to have them reflected citywide.”
According to Sirois, he knows there is the potential for an increase in rear-end collisions due to the cameras. But he says the numbers don't always show that.
“We are concerned about rear-end collisions,” Sirois said. “However, what we’re trying to do is reduce overall collisions as well.”
Johnson City hopes to have red light cameras up and running at six intersections (five of which remain unnamed) by April.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement