South Shore

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CBS) -- A proposal to add an extra second to yellow lights at intersections with red light cameras has stalled in the Illinois House, and prospects for passage anytime soon appear unlikely.

State Sen. Dan Duffy (R-Lake Barrington) sponsored the measure to require cities that use red light cameras to tack on one more second to yellow lights at "photo-enforced" intersections. Although the measure passed overwhelmingly in the Illinois Senate, it's gone nowhere in the House.

Duffy said a Texas A&M study found longer yellow lights would reduce the number of accidents, but he said House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) is blocking the legislation.

“If it’s about revenue, then I think people in high positions here in Springfield should let us know the facts, and say that it’s about revenue, that they don’t want to cut the revenue,” Duffy said. “Again, there’s no facts to dispute adding one second of yellow time drastically improves safety at intersections.”

Duffy has said that several cities and towns in other states have implemented the system, and significantly improved safety as a result.

State Sen. Ed Sullivan (R-Mundelein) said he also thinks the potential to reduce revenue from red light cameras could be the reason the proposal has stalled.

But Sullivan said increasing the time for every yellow light in Illinois -- not just those at intersections with red light cameras -- would be going too far.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s office does not support Duffy’s idea.

“Lengthening yellow lights has adverse safety implications for drivers and pedestrians,” the mayor’s office said in a written statement earlier this year.

Duffy said "that's mind-boggling."

A recent study by a University of Illinois traffic expert studied 39 Chicago intersections with red-light cameras and found the number of accidents actually increased after they were installed.