[mercanlIl]

I’m a bit biased here, because a close friend’s mother was killed by someone speeding through a red light.

I think automated enforcement of minor driving infractions is a good thing. More efficient use of government resources. Incentivizes drivers to follow the rules of the road.

[philwelch]

Automated systems are fine, they would just be a lot better if they were used to dispatch patrol vehicles in real time rather than mailing letters to auto manufacturers.

[UqWBcuFx6NV4r]

I’ve never felt more unsafe on the roads than when I’ve been in the US.

You connect the dots.

These systems work. They change behaviour and they save lives.

American exceptionalism is tiring to no end.

[cucumber3732842]

Now, I'll be the first to agree that you're biased, but surely you see that the rules and norms of the road are generally far more nuanced and not necessarily identical the rules of the road as the government writes them?

There's no reason motorists shouldn't be able to go almost any speed on motorways, conditions permitting. Germany's system is fairly sensible in this regard and many American states have one or two good laws that correlate well with norms and should be adopted elsewhere.

If the rules and laws actually reflected norms of behavior there would be more appetite for enforcement.

[stronglikedan]

Except that this:

> automated enforcement of minor driving infractions

Would not have prevented this:

> someone speeding through a red light

It's the think-of-the-children fallacy

[mercanlIl]

Why not? Knowing you’re going to get caught and fined for running a red light, which typically holds significant penalties, would act as a deterrent.

You can lose your license for that kind of nonsense (via demerit points), and they’d have it on camera.

[pjc50]

It wouldn't prevent it, strictly, but proper enforcement would stop people from getting into the habit of driving that badly.

[UqWBcuFx6NV4r]

Thankfully there is more than one country on earth and we actually have countless examples of this stuff working. Not everything that you’re not personally subject to has to be left to debating hypotheticals.

[circuit10]

Surely less people will do that if they get fined for it?

[jen20]

Except, it does. People worried about getting a fine will not chance a light on yellow. This is patently obvious for anyone that has ever driven in London (where I learned to drive).

Anyone that doesn't care about the fine (perhaps in a stolen car) may still do it, but they'd do it regardless.