About.com blogger Charles Montaldo has compiled some statistics and information that once again demonstrate the questionable effectiveness of red light cameras. His research demonstrates that red light cameras have a negligible effect on red light running, but instead increase minor vehicle accidents caused by hard braking in advance of the automatically enforced intersection. He also points out that the IIHS, the Insurance Industry’s research arm, is the leading source of statistics that support the use of red light cameras, and that red light cameras amount to nothing more than a push from the industry to trap drivers in higher premiums through increased crash and citation data.

Asbury Park Press carried a particularly amusing letter-to-the-editor today — the story of one woman who was brave enough to obey the freshly lowered 55-mph speed limit on the Garden State Parkway in New Jersey.

The Parkway speed limit is 65-mph starting from the border at New York, but proceeding farther south, the limit drops to 55-mph.  Recently, the 55-mph limit was extended farther north.  As anyone whose ever driven on the Garden State Parkway can attest, 75-mph-plus speeds are routine if not “too slow” to some of the more aggressive drivers.

AL.com has posted an interesting article that breaks down some common misconceptions about speeding violations. According to the linked article, a state police spokesperson said, “The speed limit is the speed limit, and that’s the speed you can go without encountering a trooper.” But a more detailed analysis by the AL.com authors revealed that only 72 speeding tickets, roughly 1% issued by Alabama troopers last year, were given to drivers going only 1 to 9-mph over the speed limit.  Of those 72 drivers, only 2 were ticketed with traveling less than 5-mph over the limit. Some additional discussion is provided regarding the accuracy of speed measurement devices and how that may play into an officer’s decision to ticket drivers at speeds close to but exceeding the posted speed limit.

The article also mentions the rather bizarre fact that the highest speeding ticket issued in Alabama went to a man driving 130-mph, double the 65-mph limit, in a “construction vehicle”.

Drivers New Jersey are used to being the butt of innumerable jokes on topics ranging from their often colorful hand gestures to their overcrowded, nightmarishly confusing Turnpike. New Jersey drivers recently lowered the bar once again by demonstrating an incredibly schizophrenic view of vehicle & traffic law enforcement.  According to the Press of Atlantic City, a AAA-sponsored poll revealed “[New Jersey drivers] support a new state law making it a primary offense to use cell phones while driving, even though they don’t believe it will make it safer to drive on New Jersey roads.” There are also some views on traffic cameras and snow/ice removal that were captured in the AAA study.

O’Reilly Radar reports that Motor Trend has reported that Nissan’s newest GT-R model will contain a speed limiter that uses the car’s built in GPS to determine the maximum safe speed.  On highways, the car will be limited to about 110 mph, but the driver can navigate through menus on the car’s computer to enable a special “race” mode if the driver is at a pre-approved race track.  A sign of things to come?

In the United States, unlike the now standard “0.08″ blood alcohol concentration limit that most states have adopted, different states have different laws on drugged driving.  Canada seems to have a similar problem, based on this article, which calls attention to and discusses the issues of quantitatively analyzing a drugged driver’s ability to operate a motor vehicle.

Aiming to deal with growing problems caused by the sheer number of vehicles and pedestrians flooding its roads, the Chinese government has adopted a new set of traffic laws that emphasize “respect to life”.  The new rules provide for minimal liability for persons involved in accidents that are not their fault.  The new rules go into effect May 1, 2008.

China adopts amendment to road traffic law, emphasizing “respect to life”

U.S. Representative Joseph Knollenberg, R-MI, spoke out against a proposal for mandatory speed limiters on big trucks in Ontario in a letter to Ontario Transportation Minister James Bradley, expressing concerns that a proposal could possibly violate the intent of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

U.S. Representative says speed limiters will hurt Michigan’s trade

Yes, says state officer, in response to the inquiry of a citizen from mid-Michigan, who decided recently to stop wondering and start asking about a nagging traffic question.  He emailed the Michigan State Police with the following email.

“Why is it that law enforcement vehicles never seem to observe the posted speed limit? Of course, not in an emergency; but then their flashers would be activated. Shouldn’t police at every level be conserving fuel and setting the pace on our highways, rather than discouraging conscientious drivers by whizzing past them in non-emergency travel? Perhaps this is something I should take up with my state representative? -John Hayden

The response of the Michigan State Police is available with the original source here:

Don’t police have to obey speed limits?

Taking a road trip home for the holidays this year? Be sure to go easy on the gas pedal, particularly if your travels take you up or down the East Coast. According to stats from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the I-95 corridor between the southeast and New England includes five of the 10 U.S. states carrying the highest fines for speeding–Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina, Maryland and New Hampshire. All hit up speeders for a maximum of $500 or more for a first offense.

The Most Expensive States For Speeding Tickets 2007