Why has the City of
According
to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, annually nearly 2 million
crashes occur in intersections in the
An
automated red light photo enforcement system with red light cameras can help
communities enforce traffic laws and prevent dangerous traffic signal
violations. It is believed that the red
light camera program will reduce the number of red light collisions and
injuries associated with such crashes.
The
purpose of this program is to increase traffic safety in the City of
What is a red light running violation?
In
Where are the automated red light cameras located?
Cameras are installed at the intersection of
First image:
The first shot is captured from the rear approach showing: the scene of the
violation including the back of the violating vehicle in front of the stop
line; one or more visible red light signals.
Second image:
The second shot is also captured from the rear approach showing: the scene
of the violation including the back of the violating vehicle after the rear
axle has crossed the stop line and the vehicle has illegally entered the
intersection; one or more visible red light signals; and a clear image of the
license plate of the offending vehicle.
License plate close-up:
A magnified “crop” of the license plate is created from one of the two images for easy viewing.
A crash caused by a
driver who runs a red light is more likely to result in serious injury or
death.
Stop
Preventable Collisions
Most people run red lights
because they are in a hurry, when in fact they only save seconds.
Sources: “Stop Red Light Running,” Federal Highway
Administration Safety Website: safety.fhwa.dot.gov/programs/srlr.htm.2002.
R. A. Retting and A.F. Williams, "Characteristics of Red Light
Violators: Results of a Field Investigation," Journal of Safety
Research (1996): 27.1, 9-15.
·
In Garland, Texas,
crashes caused by red light runners decreased by 56% (from 43 crashes to 19) at
the four intersections where red light cameras were installed. Overall, crashes were reduced by 25% and all
injury crashes were reduced by 27%.
Source: “Report on the Effectiveness of Automated Red
Light Enforcement,” City of Garland Transportation Department, Sept. 2006
·
From 1994-2005, red light running violations decreased
73% in
·
Accidents are down 11% in the intersections with red
light cameras in
·
During the first year of operation of the red light camera
enforcement safety program in
·
Public safety officials in
·
In
·
Significant citywide crash reductions have followed the
introduction of red light cameras in
·
Charlotte, North Carolina reported the following findings based on a before and
after study done at 17 intersections: 37% decrease in angle crashes at
intersections with cameras; 60% decrease in angle crashes at approaches with
cameras; all crash types reduced by 19%; crash severity reduced 16%.
·
Red light running accidents decreased 30% in the year
after red light cameras were installed in
·
Red light running in
Source: “Red light Cameras: A Proven Method to Save Lives,” National Campaign to Stop Red Light Running, www.stopredlightrunning.com/html/redlight.htm.
Why did I receive this Intersection Safety Signal Citation?
Based
upon images captured by the automated system, your vehicle was determined to
have committed a red light violation.
The vehicle was photographed by the camera connected to a traffic signal
that is only active when the light is red.
Vehicles crossing the stop bar after the light turns
red are detected automatically and two photographs of the rear of the vehicle
are taken. As the photo is taken, the
date, location and time into the red signal are recorded directly onto the
image. As the owner of the vehicle, the
Citation is mailed to you.
If I am in the intersection when the light is yellow and the light changes to red, will I receive a Citation?
No.
The automated system only becomes active once the red light is
showing. It will not capture a vehicle
if the vehicle enters the intersection prior to the light changing to red. If you entered the intersection on green or
yellow, it is legal to clear the intersection if the light turned red while you
were still in the intersection.
What if I was not the driver/owner of the vehicle at the time of the violation?
You may request to appear in the
District Court of Maryland for
City
of
Photo
Enforcement
You will be notified by mail of the court date. If you do not receive a notification of your
court date within 30 days, call the City of
What happens if I ignore the Citation?
Failure to pay the civil penalty or to
contest liability prior to the due date on the Citation may result in the
refusal or suspension of the motor vehicle registration. If the second notice
remains unpaid collections may proceed.
Will I receive any points on my driving record for this violation?
No.
This is a civil infraction that is not reported to the Maryland
Department of Motor Vehicles.
Will my insurance rates be affected?
No.
This is a civil infraction and is not reported to any insurance
agencies.
Will the red light cameras take a picture of the driver of the vehicle?
No. A violation of the Laurel Ordinance is a
civil violation assessed against the owner of the vehicle; it is not a criminal
violation. Similar to a parking ticket,
there is no need to identify the driver and therefore, no need to capture the
image of the driver.
Is this only a revenue-generating program?
This is a safety program. Automated red light systems have been shown to reduce red light violations and intersection crashes. Numerous studies throughout the U.S. and worldwide, as well as the experience of many other cities, indicate significant decreases in red light running violations and collisions after cameras were installed. Often times, a spill-over effect results from automated enforcement: other intersections not monitored by automated enforcement also see a decrease in violations and accidents because of the presence of enforcement in other areas of the community.
What do I do if I receive
a Citation?
How much is the fine?
The
fine is $75 for each offense.
How much time do I have to pay my Citation?
You must pay the civil
penalty on or before the due date on your Citation. The due date for payment is located on the
bottom right of your Citation.
What are my options?
There are two options:
pay the fine, or challenge the Citation. Details are outlined below.
1. Pay
the fine.
2. Challenge the Citation.
To contest the citation, you may
request to appear in District Court of Maryland for
You will be notified by mail of
the court date. If you do not receive a
notification of your court date within 30 days, call the City of
A refund check may be issued under
the following circumstances:
If you feel as though you are entitled to a refund, please submit your
request on the
Red Light Refund Form Send the completed form to the address specified at the top of the form.
I have received
multiple Citations; do I have to send in a separate payment for each?
No. You may send one check in one envelope – but you
must include payment coupons for each Citation you received. If you received three Citations, you may send
in one check and three coupons with each Citation number written on your check.
What if my check bounces?
You will be responsible for a
returned check fee of $25.00 – in addition to any late fees and the original
fine amount. You will receive a letter
from the City of
Can I make payments in installments or set up a payment plan?
No. Payment plans are not available.
The
Citation you just received could be for additional violations or it could be a
second notice which is now a Delinquent Notice.
If it is a Delinquent Notice, chances are that your payment and the
Citation crossed in the mail. It can
take as many as 10 business days to show in the system once it has reached our
office. Call 1-866-790-4111 to confirm
that your payment was received.
You
must pay the full fine amount within 30 days of a liable judgment.
Go
to www.ViolationInfo.com and enter your Notice number and PIN shown on the
front of your Notice.
You
must request a court date in writing
on or before the due date listed on your Citation.
To contest the citation, you may
request to appear in District Court of Maryland for
You will be notified by mail of
the court date. If you do not receive a
notification of your court date within 30 days, call the City of
No,
all requests must be in writing.
Only
you or your legal counsel may appear at the hearing.
Yes.
Images
of your vehicle were captured and recorded by an Automated Intersection Safety
System. You can review your images and video
of the actual occurrence online at www.ViolationInfo.com. The images and video were reviewed by several
qualified technicians and finally by the Laurel Police Department before the
alleged civil infraction was affirmed and mailed to you as the registered owner
or identified driver. You have the
option of contesting the Citation by requesting in writing a court date.
The City of