The Oceanside City Council voted 3 to 2 Wednesday to end its red light camera program — an "early Christman present for the residents of Oceanside," as one councilmember put it.
Councilman Gary Felien said the decision comes from constant complaints about the cameras, and he cited multiple studies that have failed to prove their effectiveness.
Instead of declining accidents, the cameras seemed to increase rear-end collisions and added to drivers' stress, Felien claimed.
Oceanside is following the lead of San Diego, Escondido, Poway and Santee, which have also removed their red light cameras.
City attorneys plan to notify the camera provider that they would like to withdraw from the contract early, but they must still verify the timing of that withdrawal, according to Felien.
