November 2002

Objectives: This study estimated the impact of red light camera enforcement on motor vehicle crashes in one of the first US communities to employ such cameras—Oxnard, California. Methods: Crash data were analyzed for Oxnard and for 3 comparison cities. Changes in crash frequencies were compared for Oxnard and control cities and for signalized and nonsignalized intersections by means of a generalized linear regression model. Results: Overall, crashes at signalized intersections throughout Oxnard were reduced by 7% and injury crashes were reduced by 29%. Right-angle crashes, those most associated with red light violations, were reduced by 32%; right-angle crashes involving injuries were reduced by 68%. Conclusions: Because red light cameras can be a permanent component of the transportation infrastructure, crash reductions attributed to camera enforcement should be sustainable.