Nowadays, traffic enforcers aren’t the only ones keeping an eye on distracted and problematic drivers.
Most intersections are now riddled with cameras, tracking your every turn and how fast you’re going.
Red light cameras are some of the most notable traffic cameras being used around the globe, especially in the US.
Red light cameras are part of an automated enforcement system that monitors traffic at intersections.
These high-speed cameras are often synchronized with traffic signals, allowing them to capture vehicles that fail to stop at a red light.
As of June 2023, nearly 350 communities in the US use red light cameras, while eight states have banned them.
A common misconception about red light cameras is that they’re the same as regular traffic cameras.
In reality, the sole purpose of a red light camera is to catch motorists running a red light. Traffic cameras, on the other hand, come in different types.
For example, speed cameras are a type of traffic camera that monitors the speed limit of vehicles. Like red light cameras, these cameras also catch violators in the act.
Traffic cameras can also function as sensors that monitor the flow of traffic and road conditions. These cameras do not issue violations.
There are automated number plate recognition cameras that use artificial intelligence (AI) to read license plate numbers. These are used for cross-referencing license plate numbers with government motor vehicles.
The automated enforcement system uses at least two high-speed digital cameras. These cameras have illuminating strobes and an HD video camera that can capture photos and videos even under the most challenging weather conditions.
Using a 3D traffic radar aimed at the highway, the camera control unit monitors the position, speed, and direction of each vehicle that passes through the camera’s field of view.
Red light cameras are attached to the traffic controller to monitor each signal light phase. These cameras won’t enter enforcement mode unless the signal light begins to shift from yellow to red.
Once the light turns red, the 3D traffic radar will begin to track vehicles entering the intersection without the green light.
The red light camera will capture three photographs and record a short video clip to document such incidents. In most cases, red light cameras take two photos of the vehicle’s rear and one photo of the front.
Setting up red light cameras requires one digital camera and an HD video camera to be placed behind the violation point.
Doing so can show the position of the vehicle relative to the violation point while displaying the color of the traffic light before and after it enters the intersection. Another camera is placed across the intersection to photograph the vehicle and driver.
Photographs taken by red light cameras are strictly confidential. Photos can only be shown to the driver or violator after receiving a citation.
According to a 2021 report by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 1,109 people were killed and 127,000 were injured as a result of red-light running crashes.
By introducing red light camera enforcement, fatalities in red light running crashes decreased by as much as 21%.
Red light cameras aren’t treated as safety devices like airbags and collision warning sensors. However, they play a huge part in reducing traffic-related accidents.
Drivers tend to be extra cautious when they know that they’re being watched. Plus, getting a citation can be stressful to deal with, so most drivers will try to avoid getting one if they can.
Footage from red light cameras are uploaded to a violation processing system where trained technicians analyze the incident.
If the technicians see a potential violation, the violation processing system will collect details such as the driver’s name, address, and other identifying information of the vehicle’s registered owner.
A police officer will then issue a citation accompanied by images of the violation. Citations are typically mailed out together with instructions on how to pay the fine.
Citations must be issued within 15 days of the violation date. A separate courtesy warning is also sent to the registered owner within 30 days of the violation.
In cases where the registered owner wasn’t the one driving the vehicle at the time of the violation, the Notice to Appear might be sent to the identified driver.
Citations are subject to further evaluation when the driver appears in court, which means you can challenge the ruling.
Citations can be revoked if the driver can prove that his vehicle got stolen and another person was behind the wheel at the time of the violation. The citation can also be revoked if the violation was done in order to clear a path for an emergency vehicle.
Lastly, the absence of a warning sign on the existence of a red light camera in the area can nullify the citation, but this will ultimately depend on local regulations.
Red light cameras don’t always flash when they take a photo, so it can be quite hard to tell whether or not you’ve been documented.
Also, getting fixated on the red light camera instead of focusing on the road can get you in trouble since you’re driving while distracted.
Traffic cameras are usually mounted above a traffic light or street pole facing the intersection.
Some red light cameras are programmed to wait for a fraction of a second before taking a picture as a way of granting drivers a grace period.
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