• Aid commuters - Traffic cameras placed at common congestion points on highways, freeways, interstates and major arteries often share feeds with news outlets - both radio and TV, which in turn pass them onto commuters in the form of traffic reports. Normally, traffic flows do not vary much from day to day, but in the event of a severe accident or road closure, a traffic alert can be extremely valuable for a time-crunched commuter.
• Valuable data - Traffic cameras that simply monitor car flows on roads and major arteries are often maintained by state departments of transportation. Along with monitoring the roads for accidents or major closures, footage from traffic cameras is influential in decisions regarding future road development and construction.
• Enforce laws - Cameras used to enforce speed and red light laws are effective in catching moving violations and issuing tickets.
• Encourage safe driving - Visible surveillance cameras posted at intersections can encourage safe driving habits and discourage moving violations.

• Weather - Whether they're monitoring intersections or looking out for traffic jams, traffic cameras are subject to damage caused by weather. Heat, wind, rain, snow and ice can all damage or ruin a traffic security camera.
• Accidents - Since they're placed on busy roads and intersections, there is also a chance that accidents could damage traffic cameras.
  

Traffic monitoring cameras and red light or speed cameras have different purposes and therefore desrve seperate consideration when installing. Consider the following when looking to install traffic monitoring or red light cameras .
For traffic surveillance cameras:

• Are there any particular intersections in your area where accidents and violations are common?
• Are moving violations a particular problem in your area?

• When installing cameras, make sure that all areas of the intersection are covered. Usually, cameras are placed above the signals or mounted on each corner of the intersection
• Consider installing a flash or other light source for night recording
• Consult with local law enforcement to find the most troublesome intersections
• Make sure your cameras are placed and calibrated to record the license plate data off of violating cars.
• To protect cameras against the elements, place them in environment-controlled housings.

• Place cameras so they overlook common congestion areas
• Make sure cameras have adequate visibility and a good view of all lanes involved
• Temperature and humidity controlled camera housings can help protect the camera against weather.