Red Light

Cameras
In this assignment, we will be looking at the effectiveness of red-light cameras, and what

story the numbers tell regarding them.

Prediction

Before beginning this worksheet, state your prediction/current stance on red light

cameras, and why you feel that they are/aren’t effective.

Red-Lights’ Effects

1. Approximately what percentage of car collisions are caused by running a stop sign or

running a stop sign?

2. Read the section from the webpage titled “What are the Top Causes of Red-Light

Collisions?” . What types of collisions do red-light collisions most commonly produce?

T-bone (perpendicular) or rear-end?

 T-Bone Statistics

3. What percentage of T-bone collisions result in death?

4. What other types of injuries are caused by T-bone collisions?

Rear-end Statistics

5. What percentage of rear-end collisions result in death?

6. What percentage of rear-end collisions result in injuries?

Red-Light Cameras

7. Read the Section titled “Red Light Cameras”. In the Virginian study on red light cameras,

what kind of effect did the cameras have on the proportion of people running red lights

and number of rear-end accidents?

 8. What happened to the proportion of angle (T-bone) and other types of accidents (rear-end

included) after the cameras were removed?

Choose a Side

To conclude the assignment, you must determine whether red light cameras are beneficial

or harmful for the safety of the public based on what you have learned from the questions above.

In your response, use the types of injuries caused by each type of accident, at least 3 conditional

probabilities (i.e. probability that T-bone collision occurs given that the traffic light has a

camera), and other statistics you found from the previous questions as evidence to support your

claim. Did you expect the laws of statistics and probability to help us find our answer in the way

that they did? Why or why not?