In Odessa, two people were injured in a wreck on Saturday evening. The collision was caused when the driver of a Dodge pickup truck ran a red light on Maple and Tanglewood and collided with a Chevy Avalanche.
In an effort to reduce the amount of drivers running red lights, the Odessa City Council is working to set up red light cameras throughout the city. The council members have approved the first reading of the proposed amendment allowing the installment of the automated traffic lights.
If the amendment should pass, the ordinance will go into affect 30 days after the meeting. It will allow for red light cameras but does not mean that the cameras will go up immediately.
According to the article, “The Effectiveness of Red-light Cameras,” the Texas Crash Records Information System (CRIS) data showed that in Garland, Texas, after red-light cameras were installed at six intersections:
· Total crashes decreased about 29%
· Red-light crashes went down 60% at two intersections
· Crashes went down 95% on approaches with cameras
According to OA online, some Odessa residents have mixed-feelings about the red light cameras, because some people will still not obey the traffic laws.