Is it appropriate for cities to use traffic cameras on their roads?

The installation of traffic cameras on city roads is a proposal that some people can easily support while others can easily object to. Individuals who always follow traffic rules are unconcerned about traffic cameras being installed because they believe the cameras will improve traffic management in cities in some way. Those who take chances to find their way out in traffic, on the other hand, do not support the installation of cameras because they will serve as evidence once they are apprehended and charged with traffic violations. A majority of them believe that having traffic cameras in place is an approach the law enforcers are utilizing to watch them.
Numerous studies have indicated that allowing traffic cameras on the roads can be of great importance to all road users. They are believed lessen the number of traffic violation incidences and enhance traffic management in major cities. The decrease in the number of traffic violations has in-turn reduced the number of deaths on the roads. For example, the city of Dayton has traffic cameras installed. The cameras are used to enforce safety within the town with the objective of saving lives and preventing damages to property and injuries that are likely to take place. A study of the city indicates that since 2014, a time when a previous traffic camera program was shut-down the number of vehicle crashes increased by about forty percent compared to a time when the camera program was running ("Dayton, OH"). Therefore, it can be established that traffic camera implementation is sufficient in the reduction of accidents in areas of high-risk.
Numerous cities have a limited network of road infrastructure despite the number of users increasing from time to time. The increase is making it difficult to efficiently manage the various road challenges, for example, road crashes, traffic congestion, and ecological effect (Djahel et al.). There have been multiple approaches to help in decongesting the roads, reducing air pollution in the cities, and saving lives of users. The strategies have not been sufficient therefore forcing researchers in the traffic management industry to make use of advances in the sensing and communication technologies to enhance the efficiency of managing the roads. Cities are using traffic cameras on their streets; the cameras are capable of detecting vehicles that are violating traffic laws and communicating the information to the relevant authorities for further action to be taken (Djahel et al.). With an efficient traffic management in place, it is possible to have free of traffic congestion and crashes. In case of emergency, emergency vehicles can easily find their way within the cities, and as a result, more lives get saved.
Having traffic cameras can ensure traffic managers receive an exact and actual view of the traffic on the roads thus guaranteeing that roads get managed well. Management of transportation in cities continues to be a challenge with the increase in the number of vehicles on the streets. Real-time traffic status can facilitate enhanced mobility and adequate management of traffic flow (Aissaoui et al.). Using the real-time traffic status, operators can establish smart traffic management approaches that can ensure proper control of roads and road users. Traffic cameras serve the purpose of reminding road users to observe traffic laws; their presence whether they are working or not makes drivers follow the set rules. Road users greatly disregard traffic laws despite the statutes advocating for their safety. By cities having cameras on the road, road users will fear getting detected for not following the rules and later be fined.
The use of cameras on the roads has over time gained significance in the monitoring of traffic and other activities on the streets. The cameras can be used as “anti-terrorism device”; in case an incident occurs, footages can be reviewed, and those captured by the traffic cameras can be caught. Installing cameras at specific junctions and having someone monitor what is happening on various roads within the city makes it easy to watch several roads simultaneously. Information received from the cameras is the actual state of traffic and can be used in assisting traffic control personnel to efficiently manage traffic by directing vehicles to roads that are less congested. The use of cameras required less workforce to monitor and enforce traffic control; one person can watch multiple roads and direct a traffic controller on where he or she is to direct the vehicles. Having traffic cameras penetrate to the city roads will have a significant impact on the control of congestion (Bhoraskar et al.).
Anything whether good or bad will always have some individuals opposing it. The proposal of traffic cameras being allowed on the roads is not an exception. Despite a majority of the road users supporting the plan of traffic cameras being allowed on city roads, a considerable minority of road users oppose the proposal. They believe the cameras are prone to make errors, the primary objective of installation is generating income as opposed to enhancing security, the installations are likely to result in crashes among various users, and above all, the cameras invade their privacy (McCartt & Angela 10). Therefore, this requires that the cities do prior education to the road users on how the traffic cameras work and of what importance they will be if allowed. By so doing, the levels of resistance will decrease.
Whereas the attitudes of people regarding the use of traffic cameras on city roads keep changing, the benefits the cameras have had on road users cannot be overlooked. It is evident that cameras have been able to stop speeders from over speeding and prevent deadly crashes as witnessed on roads that do not have cameras. Further, the cameras serve as a source of income to the cities given that they detect violation and individual violators have to pay a fine; the income can be used in funding programs within the towns, hiring further assistance, buying additional equipment, among other uses. Many people are likely to drive well if they feel they might be caught, the presence of traffic cameras serves as a remedy to the situation by guaranteeing that drivers who do not follow the laws in place regardless of the time of the day and state of traffic get punished. At times, just the presence of the cameras; be it they are working or not makes road users adhere to the set regulations. Therefore, although some individuals may be irritated by the idea of allowing traffic cameras on the city roads, a majority agree that it eventually saves lives of users. Works cited
Aissaoui, Raik, et al. "Advanced real-time traffic monitoring system based on V2X communications." Communications (ICC), 2014 IEEE International Conference on. IEEE, 2014.
Bhoraskar, Ravi, et al. "Wolverine: Traffic and road condition estimation using smartphone sensors." Communication Systems and Networks (COMSNETS), 2012 Fourth International Conference on. IEEE, 2012.
"Dayton, OH." Dayton, OH, 2017, http://www.daytonohio.gov/civicalerts.aspx?aid=183.
Djahel, Soufiene, et al. "Adaptive traffic management for secure and efficient emergency services in smart cities." Pervasive Computing and Communications Workshops (PERCOM Workshops), 2013 IEEE International Conference on. IEEE, 2013.
McCartt, Anne T., and Angela H. Eichelberger. "Attitudes toward red light camera enforcement in cities with camera programs." Traffic injury prevention 13.1 (2012): 14-23.Annotated Biography
Aissaoui, Raik, et al. "Advanced real-time traffic monitoring system based on V2X communications." Communications (ICC), 2014 IEEE International Conference on. IEEE, 2014.
Aissaoui et al. addresses better alternatives that can be used in updating the traffic management system with information of vehicles using the least possible time. A system that gives real-time information and communicates efficiently should be put in place.
Bhoraskar, Ravi, et al. "Wolverine: Traffic and road condition estimation using smartphone sensors." Communication Systems and Networks (COMSNETS), 2012 Fourth International Conference on. IEEE, 2012.
Bhoraskar et al. addresses issues associate with the monitoring of road and traffic conditions. Road traffic keeps increasing from day-to-day thus posing a challenge to the road users. Hence there is need to find a way than can be effective in managing traffic.
"Dayton, OH." Dayton, OH, 2017, http://www.daytonohio.gov/civicalerts.aspx?aid=183.
Dayton city strives to provide public safety. The use of traffic camera has been attributed for a reduction in number of accidents in high-risk areas.
Djahel, Soufiene, et al. "Adaptive traffic management for secure and efficient emergency services in smart cities." Pervasive Computing and Communications Workshops (PERCOM Workshops), 2013 IEEE International Conference on. IEEE, 2013.
Djahel et al. says there have been many challenges such as traffic congestion and accidents for road traffic management authorities. The traffic management system needs to be addressed to make it easy for emergency services providers to provide services when required. McCartt, Anne T., and Angela H. Eichelberger. "Attitudes toward red light camera enforcement in cities with camera programs." Traffic injury prevention 13.1 (2012): 14-23.
McCartt and Angela address the attitudes people have towards traffic cameras in cities. The use of traffic cameras has received rejection from various road users.