Being a responsible driver is more difficult than it seems when you think about it. However, it doesn t necessarily have to be as difficult as most people make it. For example, the other day, I was driving down the road when a light changed from green to red. Now, most of us know that when a light changes, it goes through a cycle where it transitions from green to yellow and then from yellow to red. Also, when a light changes, it usually gives a driver more than enough time to adjust their driving so that the can safely and gradually come to a stop. However, even after the light had turned green for me (which means that the light going in the other direction was clearly red, I had to pause for at least four seconds while I waited for not one but FIVE drivers to run the red light.
In the aforementioned situation, those drivers were NOT demonstrating what it meant to be a responsible driver. In fact, they were demonstrating quite the opposite. In that scenario, all that would have been required of them to prove that they were competent, responsible drivers would have been to simply slow down once they saw that the light had turned from green to yellow. However, many people in situations like this do not slow down. In fact, they see a yellow traffic signal as an indication that they should hurry up and speed it up so that they don t get caught going through a red light.
In many places and at various intersections where this is the case in North Carolina, the Department of Transportation has set up what are very well known as “red light cameras”. The whole purpose behind these red light cameras is to catch speeders in the act of speeding and issue them tickets via regular mail. You see, what happens is that there are motion sensors at each of these various intersections. The motion sensors are linked to the lights changing; so when a light goes through a cycle whereby it changes from yellow to red, the motion sensor kicks in. Any vehicle that crosses a certain point after the light has changed from yellow to red automatically trips the motion sensor. Then, because the motion sensor is affixed to a strategically placed camera somewhere within the intersection, the camera goes off and snaps a picture of the person who is violating the law.
Any person who runs the red light is then sent a picture of themselves actually running the red light, in which they are then forced to pay a fine. The idea of red light cameras is a great idea. However, it has not been without consequence or complication. For instance, at intersections where people know that there is a red light camera, they will actually, go to even greater lengths to avoid getting caught on camera. For instance, if someone sees that the light is changing, depending on where they are in relation to the intersection, they may suddenly slam on their brakes. The unsuspecting driver who is behind them and may not have been paying quite as close attention will then slam into that person. Therefore, there have been increased instances of people getting into motor vehicle accidents because of red light cameras which makes one question whether or not they are as good as they were originally intended to be..
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/rss.jpg "XML Feed For RSS")