Comment Re:its all about the $$$ (Score 4, Insightful) 93
To further improve the safety of red-light cameras, consider that almost all rear-end collisions are caused by people tailgating. If each red-light camera were turned into a combination red-light and speed camera, people would slow down when approaching intersections, so someone slamming on their brakes at the last minute would be less likely to be hit from behind.
Emphasis mine.
I don't think you were saying that rear-end collisions are the fault of the car in front, even when they brake suddenly, but I think it's important to say that any rear-end collision is the fault of the car behind. It doesn't matter how sharply the car in front brakes, you should never be so close that you can't also stop safely. Suppose that instead of a red light there's a child running into the road; the car ahead may brake very sharply indeed, but if you're behind and you give them another push you might just make the difference between near-miss and tragedy. Tailgating needs to be treat more severely than speeding if you ask me, or at least enforced... at all.
