Community Corner

Letter to the Editor: Red Light Cameras an Effective Tool for Traffic Safety

Traffic safety advocates Paul and Sue Oberhauser applaud Norristown's decision to implement red light camera enforcement.

We are pleased Norristown is moving forward with the authorization of life-saving traffic safety cameras ().

We recently commemorated the tenth anniversary of the death of our daughter Sarah. She was killed by a red-light runner when she was only 31 years old. Since then, it has become our mission to advocate for safety initiatives that reduce crashes and prevent needless deaths.

The bottom line is, when it comes to saving lives, photo enforcement works. A 2011 study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety concluded traffic safety cameras reduce fatal red light running crashes by 24%, saving 159 lives in the 14 largest cities using them. Locally, safety cameras at Philadelphia’s most dangerous intersection led to a 96% reduction in red light running.

Find out what's happening in Norristownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Red light cameras are an effective way to ensure that drivers slow down and pay attention at intersections. The threat of a citation will certainly encourage drivers to think twice – and potentially avoid a deadly crash – the next time they approach a red light.

Paul and Sue Oberhauser, National Co-Chairs, Traffic Safety Coalition

Find out what's happening in Norristownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here