NYC to add hundreds of red light cameras to intersections

NEW YORK - Hundreds more red light cameras are coming to a New York City intersection near you.

Lawmakers in Albany have given the green light to quadrupling the number of red light cameras at intersections across the city, which means that soon, 5 percent of the city's intersections will have them, up from just 1 percent currently.

"Since the introduction of the program 3 years ago, running through red lights has decreased by more than 70 percent," said State Senator Andrew Gounardes. "And so we know that it is a proven way to stop people from breaking the traffic law and running red lights."

Since 2020, at least 1,183 people have been killed in car accidents in New York City, with nearly 216,000 injured. Red light camera supporters say red light cameras help make the city's streets safer for everyone.

But critics say that first, the city needs to address illegal plate covers and ghost cars.

"Anything that's just a camera-based program is just a money grab, because at the end of the day, these camera violations don't lead to points on licenses, and points on licenses is what really leads to changes in behavior law," said City Councilmember David Carr.

But the Department of Transportation and safety advocates both told fOX 5 NY that the data very clearly showed that red light cameras work, pointing out that drivers who run red lights often injure or kill people in other cars. 

"We know the intersections where we've put in red light, cameras. There have been fewer crashes for other people in cars. It's safer for you if you drive in a car every single day to have red light cameras on your street, than for there to not be with light cameras," said Alexa Sledge of Transportation Alternatives.

And as for the money grab accusation, according to Gounardes, the easy way for drivers not to pay? Don't run red lights.