RLC Research & Information
Red Light Cameras: The Good, The Bad & The Uncertain
This presentation on Red-Light Cameras was the result of an intense study by Dr. Dale Gedcke of all the up-to-date and reliable information available on the subject. It was stimulated by his own encounter with a red-light camera, which stimulated a compelling curiosity about the topic. It is an attempt to present an unbiased review of the issue, suitable for quickly informing the public and public officials considering such devices. References for further details are provided. Dr. Gedcke, is a retired Engineering Physicist who currently is a part-time technical and marketing consultant. Outside of the $50 he paid for his Red-Light Camera ticket, he has no financial stake in the pros or cons of the Red-Light Camera issue. He has contributed this presentation to the web site at the invitation of the Tennessee Liberty Alliance.
The Placebo Effect & RLCs
by: Dale Gedcke, B.Eng., M.Sc., Ph.D.
The placebo effect has been known for ages. It's power is recognized by those practicing medicine and those developing medicines. Pharmaceutical studies incorporate this placebo effect when determining the efficacy of a medicine as compared to that of a known placebo. A product is deemed useless, or ineffective, if it does not improve upon the effect of a known placebo and subsequently never reaches market (or at least it shouldn't--but that is a story for a different day!)
Dale Gedcke, Ph.D. has written and submits a very complete and interesting paper regarding the placebo effect as it relates to the red light camera debacle. Have you wondered why, if the evidence is so much against the efficacy of red-light cameras, it continues to be pushed forward as a "cure-all" for our traffic problems? Give this paper a good read and you may find your questions answered.
RLCs: Engineering vs Enforcement
by: Dale Gedcke, B.Eng., M.Sc., Ph.D.
It seems almost universal that Red-Light Cameras are installed without a concerted Engineering effort to find other, less obtrusive solutions for improving intersection safety. Why does Enforcement so often trump Engineering, when an Engineering solution would work at a much lower cost to society? This article will illuminate reasons why municipalities frequently place the cart before the horse. It will also outline the process recommended by the Federal Highway Administration and the Institute of Transportation Engineers for improving safety at intersections with traffic signals.
Biasing of Red Light Camera Studies--Regression to the Mean
by: Dale Gedcke, B.Eng., M.Sc., Ph.D.
Red-Light Camera studies are replete with concerns about the bias introduced by "regression to the mean". For those not steeped in statistics, that term sounds awfully obscure and meaningless. Nevertheless, regression to the mean is an important effect that can lead to erroneously optimistic conclusions when simply comparing accident rates before and after camera installation. This article offers a simple explanation of the effect, why it is important, and what some investigators have done to circumvent the bias.