A red light running violation occurs when a motorist deliberately enters an intersection after the traffic signal has turned red. Red-light running is one of the major causes of angle collisions, severe injuries, and even deaths. Motorists who are already in an intersection when the signal changes to red – while waiting to turn, for example – are not red light running.

2. How will installation of red-light cameras make our roads safer?

Every year, needless crashes occur in Nevada due to motorists that run red lights.  Red-light enforcement cameras are installed for the purpose of decreasing the number of red-light runners and reducing angle collisions at signalized intersections.  Red-light enforcement cameras in other cities have shown significant reduction on red light violations and increase motorists’ awareness for safe driving even at other unmonitored intersections.

3. How do red-light cameras work?

The cameras automatically take pictures (or videos) of vehicles that enter the intersection after the light has turned red.  The technology is designed to detect and record motorists who run the red-lights.  Signs will be posted notifying of the camera enforcement.

Vehicles that enter an intersection on a yellow light are not photographed even if they are still in the intersection when the light changes to red.

The cameras record the date, time, lane number, location, and speed of the vehicle. This information is included on the notice of violation and is then evaluated by sworn members of the Police Department to verify that a violation has occurred and to determine whether a notice of violation should be mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle.

4. Red-light cameras have shown to be very cost effective, but are they fair?

YES.  If you don’t run the red-light, you won’t be photographed or fined.  The cameras only start operating after the light has turned red.  Drivers who enter on yellow and are still in the intersection when the light changes to red aren’t photographed.  It is also required that police or other law enforcement personnel verify the information and authorize every ticket before it is issued to confirm a genuine violation has occurred.

5. Wouldn’t it be more effective for the light to stay yellow longer?

Yellow light timing is based on the physical characteristics of the intersection and driver behavior.  A driver needs sufficient time to see a yellow light and safely make a decision on whether to stop or proceed through the intersection.  Increasing yellow light times beyond what is reasonable can actually increase the number of red light runners because of the longer delay that drivers experience at intersections.

6. How is privacy not being violated with red-light cameras?

Red-light camera systems can be designed to photograph only a vehicle's rear license plate, not vehicle occupants, depending on local law.  Only vehicles driven by motorists who violate the law are photographed.  Most people agree that driving on public roads should be a regulated activity not just a right.  Neither law nor common sense suggests that drivers should not be observed on the road or have their violations documented.  The U.S. Supreme Court has clearly ruled that there is a lesser expectation of privacy while operating a motor vehicle than in other venues.

7. What is the penalty of violators?

Violators will be assessed a civil penalty.  Because the violation is a civil matter, it is treated much like a parking ticket.  It does not count as a moving violation and will not be reported to the insurance company.

8. Is this only a revenue generating program?

No.  The objective of photo enforcement is to deter violators, not to catch them.  Signs and publicity campaigns typically warn drivers that photo enforcement is in use.  Revenue is generated from fines paid by drivers who continue to run red lights, but this is a fundamental component of all traffic enforcement programs.  Independent audits of red light camera enforcement have found that these programs generally do not generate excess revenue.

9. How do red-light cameras help better use law enforcement officers for other activities?

Cameras enhance existing police effort around the clock.  Generally, it would take 12-15 more officers to have the same effect as one camera.  Traditional police enforcement also poses special difficulties and dangers for police who may have to follow violating vehicles through intersections during the red light.  The saved police resources can be better used for other law enforcement activities, such as crackdown serious crimes.

Frequently Asked Questions about HOV Lane Cameras

1. What is vehicle occupancy requirement violation in High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes?

HOV lanes are a strategy that local governments have employed to reduce traffic congestion.  Restricting certain highway lanes to exclusive use by multi-occupant vehicles encourages carpooling, vanpooling, and transit bus ridership.  Vehicles traveling with less than a minimum number of persons in each vehicle violate the vehicle occupancy requirement in HOV lanes.  HOV occupancy requirement violations could be considered a theft of “level of service” since they threaten the operational qualities of the facility.

2. How will installation of video cameras make our roads more efficient in HOV lanes?

The role of a HOV enforcement program is to protect the integrity of the facility by deterring possible violators and promote the safe and efficient use of HOV lanes.  Automated enforcement by video cameras in other cities has been proven to be effective for determining compliance with vehicle occupancy requirements in HOV lanes.

3. How do video cameras work for monitoring vehicle occupancy requirement violation in HOV lanes?

In HOV lanes, the method of enforcement requires observation of the interior of vehicles to check the appropriate number of occupants.  A typical strategy for this includes installing three or more cameras with artificial lighting sources to capture the front windshield image, the side window image, and the rear license plate image.  The semi-automatic review process notes when a violation has occurred and electronically saves the images of the vehicle's interior and its license plate information.

The cameras record the date, time, lane number, location and speed of the vehicle.  This information is included on the notice of violation and is then evaluated by sworn members of the Police Department to verify that a violation has occurred and to determine whether a notice of violation should be mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle.

4. Enforcement video cameras have shown to be very cost effective, but are they fair?

YES.  If you don’t violate the vehicle occupancy requirement in HOV lanes, you won’t be photographed or fined. It is also required that police or other law enforcement personnel verify the information and authorize every ticket before it is issued to confirm a genuine violation has occurred.

5. How is privacy not being violated with enforcement video cameras?

The camera system can be designed to photograph only a vehicle's license plate, not vehicle occupants, depending on local law.  Only vehicles driven by motorists who violate the law are photographed.  Most people agree that driving on public roads should be a regulated activity not just a right.  Neither law nor common sense suggests that drivers should not be observed on the road or have their violations documented.  The U.S. Supreme Court has clearly ruled that there is a lesser expectation of privacy while operating a motor vehicle than in other venues.

6. What is the penalty of violators?

Violators will be assessed a civil penalty.  Because the violation is a civil matter, it is treated much like a parking ticket.  It does not count as a moving violation and will not be reported to the insurance company.

For more information, you may contact Dr. Zong Tian at the University of Nevada, Reno by email at zongt@unr.edu.

Website: http://wolfweb.unr.edu/homepage/zongt/