(June 21, 2011) WASHINGTON — The National Coalition for Safer Roads (NCSR) has commended the U.S. Conference of Mayors for passing a resolution Sunday strongly supporting the use of red light and speed safety cameras. The resolution says this technology helps reduce injuries and fatalities on the nation's roadways.

The resolution — announced during the Conference's 79th Annual Meeting — pledges support for safe, efficient and innovative solutions to traffic law enforcement.

"It's no surprise that our nation's mayors support the use of life-saving red lights safety cameras," said David Kelly, president and executive director of the National Coalition for Safer Roads (NCSR), and former acting administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

"There is an overwhelming body of evidence showing the effectiveness of red light safety cameras in more than 600 communities across the country. Our mayors have recognized the need to explore utilizing these life-saving devices to protect innocent motorists, pedestrians and cyclists by preventing senseless deaths from reckless red-light runners."

In their official resolution, the mayors cited recent research by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), which found that 676 people were killed and 113,000 were injured in crashes that involved red light running in 2009. Two-thirds of the victims in these crashes were pedestrians, bicyclists or occupants of vehicles hit by the red light runners.

The study also showed red light safety cameras helped save more than 150 lives in 14 of the biggest U.S. cities from 2004 to 2008.

As MotorwayAmerica sees it, red light cameras also help fill the depleted coffers of municipalities struggling to stay out of red ink. And a vast body of research — including the IIHS study cited above — have shown mixed results with camera use.