There are many potential reasons that car accidents occur each day. One of those is the design of the road or intersection. For a variety of reasons there are some intersections in the Pittsburgh area that are more dangerous than others. It is not always clear why one intersection is worse than another but it could be due to factors such as the number of streets that cross, the level of traffic in an area and the visibility afforded drivers on each road as it approaches the intersection.

In some cases authorities find that it is helpful to install cameras at these intersections. Cameras were recently activated at an intersection in located in a community in Western Pennsylvania. The cameras were installed at the Five Points intersection, located in Imperial, in 2012 using funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

Among other things, law enforcement responsible for watching the video indicated that it will be beneficial when attempting to determine why certain car accidents occurred.

While the cameras themselves cannot stop car accidents from happening, it is possible that the use of such equipment could cause drivers in the area to take precautions while driving in the area that, in the past, may not have. Because all motor vehicle accidents have the potential to cause serious injuries and great property damage, if these cameras result in the reduction of crashes by even one, many will think that they are worth it.

What are your thoughts on the use of cameras at intersections? Do you believe they are worth the expense?

Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "Imperial intersection gets cameras," Andrea Iglar, Feb. 12, 2013