WASHINGTON, Oct. 4 (UPI) -- A Washington Post study says the number of accidents at intersections with red-light cameras in Washington actually rose in the past six years.
But District of Columbia officials claim the cameras helped capture more than 500,000 violations during the period and generate $32 million in fines.
The Post study showed the increase in accidents at camera-installed intersections is the same or worse than those without the devices.
Three outside traffic specialists, who independently reviewed the data, said they were surprised by the results and concluded the cameras do not appear to be making any difference in preventing injuries or collisions, the Post reported.
The District started the camera program in 1999, and from the beginning, officials said they were aiming to curtail red-light running and accidents, the report said.
But Police Chief Charles H. Ramsey said he remains convinced that the devices are worthwhile. Even if the number of crashes is not going down, he said, citations for red-light running have dropped by about 60 percent at intersections that have cameras.
