MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) - It stands to reason that most accidents happen at intersections. And some intersections require more caution than others. So which ones are the worst?
The 12 Defenders determined the five most dangerous intersections in Montgomery based on traffic camera data from police. And they weren't necessarily the locations we expected.
Montgomery Police Lt. Cliff Clark described traffic intersections as being like "killing fields." Clark is the commander of MPD's traffic safety Bureau.
"An intersection crash is one of the most dangerous crashes you can have," he explained.
Montgomery police provided stats from its camera-monitored intersections.
There are 27 red light cameras in the system so far (some intersections have multiple cameras). The following are the intersections where cameras recorded the highest number of red light runners.
5. West Boulevard at the Birmingham Highway
An average of 150 drivers run this red light every month.
4. Selma Highway at the Mobile Highway.
An average of 230 people run this red light per month.
3. Taylor Road at the Troy Highway
An average of 319 people run lights at this intersection every month.
2. Vaughn Road at Bell Road
Camera data shows 383 red light runners at this intersection monthly.
1. Vaughn Road at Ray Thorington Road
More then 576 red light citations are issued at this intersection monthly.
So what about the SAFEST intersection in town? Believe it or not, it's also the busiest. Four years ago, there were 25 serious accidents in the intersection of Vaughn Road and the Eastern Boulevard. Last year, there was only one serious accident.
Police give the cameras the credit
"We're actually able to change driving behavior," said Lt. Clark.
Police say the cameras gradually lower the numbers. Clark says Vaughn and the Boulevard was the first camera-monitored intersection in the city.
"The longer the camera is in place," he explained, "the fewer violations we get."
It's proof, according to police, that red light cameras are effective tools in the fight to make intersections safer.
Wondering about other intersections and how they rank? Here's this list. Notice that the cameras installed earliest tend to have lower citation numbers.
| LOCATION |
CAMERA INSTALLATION DATE |
CITATIONS PER MONTH |
| Vaughn Rd. @ Ray Thorington Rd. |
September 2011 |
576 |
| Vaughn Rd. @ Bell Rd. |
May 2008 |
383 |
| Troy Hwy. @ Taylor Rd. |
September 2011 |
319 |
| Mobile Hwy. @ Selma Hwy. |
September 2011 |
230 |
| Birmingham Hwy. @ West Blvd. |
September 2011 |
147 |
| Eastern Blvd. @ Troy Hwy. |
September 2011 |
210 |
| Vaughn Rd. @ Eastern Blvd. |
October 2009 |
130 |
| Taylor Rd. @ Eastchase Pkwy. |
October 2009 |
193 |
| Southern Blvd. @ Woodley Rd. |
May 2008 |
178 |
| Ann St. @ Highland Ave. |
May 2008 |
198 |
| Vaughn Rd. @ Taylor Rd. |
May 2008 |
112 |
| Eastern Blvd. @ Vaughn Rd. |
October 2009 |
111 |
| Carter Hill Rd. @ Crawford St. |
May 2008 |
76 |
| Norman Bridge Rd. @ Fairview Ave. |
May 2008 |
13 |
Copyright 2012. All Rights Reserved. WSFA 12 News.
There are 27 red light cameras in Montgomery.
The corner of Vaughn Rd. and Ray Thorington Rd. sees the most red light citations. In this image, an 18-wheeler can be seen running the light.
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