August 12, 2026

Letter: Nothing invasive about enforcing our traffic laws

Red-light runners are responsible for an estimated 260,000 crashes each year, including more than 750 deaths. Since 1992, fatalities at traffic signals have increased by 19 percent. These grim statistics outline a great concern of safety experts: Motorists are more likely to be injured in crashes involving red-light running than in other types of collisions.

Cities that are equipped with red-light cameras have seen red light violations plummet by as much as 40 percent, even at intersections that do not have cameras installed. The public is taking notice of these results: In 1995 a nationwide survey found that 66 percent of people support the use of red-light cameras.

Driving is a regulated activity that takes place on public roads. When motorists obtain driver's licenses, they agree to abide by certain rules, including traffic signal laws. Receiving a ticket in the mail for flaunting rules you have agreed to obey is not an invasion of privacy.

Candysse Miller Regional director, Western Insurance Information Service, Los Angeles

archive