ATS’ Newsletter, Vol. 3, Issue 48

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Wandall Foundation Continues Lifesaving Work 10 Years Later
YourObserver.com Newspapers (Florida), Oct. 30, 2013

Ten years have passed since Melissa Wandall’s love was stolen from her. Nearly 10 years have passed since she gave birth to her daughter, Madisyn, alone, after her husband, Mark, died in a car accident caused by a red-light runner, less than two miles from their Whisper Bend home.

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Virginia Supreme Court Ruling Allows Tunnel Tolls
The Virginian-Pilot, Oct. 31, 2013

The Supreme Court of Virginia has reversed a lower court’s ruling that tolls planned for the Midtown and Downtown tunnels are unconstitutional, signaling that the fees can proceed as planned this winter. The all-electronic tolls are scheduled to begin Feb. 1 on the tunnels. (The Virginian-Pilot photo by David B. Hollingsworth)

Warning Period to End for Red-Light Cameras
City of Amarillo (Texas), Oct. 30, 2013

The grace period is about to end at locations with new red-light cameras. Starting November 1, warnings will no longer be issued. Instead, notices of violation, which carry a $75 civil penalty, will be issued.

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Police Chief: Cameras Can Solve Gridlock
National Post (Toronto, Canada), Oct. 28, 2013

Torontonians list gridlock as a bigger problem than crime in Toronto, and we can solve gridlock with more traffic cameras at intersections, Police Chief Bill Blair told a lunch meeting Monday of the Canadian Club in Toronto. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/The Canadian Press)

Ticket Scofflaws Face Vehicle Registration Delays
Plano Star Courier (Texas), Oct. 29, 2013

The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, working in conjunction with the Grand Prairie and Plano police departments, will begin flagging all motor vehicle registration renewals for those who have unpaid red-light camera notices. However, the Grand Prairie and Plano police departments will offer an amnesty period from Oct. 29 to Dec. 1. Persons with delinquent red-light camera notices are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity and resolve these notices before their vehicle’s registration is flagged.

Crashes Diminish at Edison Intersections
NJ.com (New Jersey), Oct. 25, 2013

New data released today by the Township of Edison shows a 71 percent reduction in right-angle crashes at three of the township’s most problematic intersections since the inception of an automated photo enforcement program designed to detect and deter drivers who run red lights. See related coverage in the Sentinel.

Speed Cameras Go Live Near Garfield Park
WLS-TV ABC 7 (Illinois), Oct. 25, 2013

Tickets will be issued in the speed zones in Garfield Park in the 3600 blocks of West Madison and West Jackson. Warnings have previously been issued at those speed camera zones, but tickets and fines will now be enforced. The cameras will operate during times when parks are open.

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Washington County Launches School Bus Stop-Arm Enforcement Program
TMCNet.com, Oct. 30, 2013

Starting today, motorists who travel some of Washington County’s roads should be extra careful not to pass a stopped school bus when the red lights are flashing and the stop arm is extended, or they could receive a violation notice as part of the school system’s efforts to use technology to make the streets safer for school children. See video and Herald Mail article.

School Bus Safety Cameras Expected in Montgomery in January
The Gazette (Maryland), Oct. 30, 2013

Montgomery County Police say new cameras on some county school buses will be installed and ready for action by early January to catch drivers who illegally pass the buses. The cameras will automatically record vehicles that pass a stopped bus while its stop arm is extended with flashing red lights.

County Considers Automated Ticketing for School Bus Passing Violations
Fairfax Times (Virginia), Oct. 30, 2013

Fairfax County officials are considering adding cameras to school buses that will catch drivers illegally passing buses that have their lights on and stop sign out. The City of Falls Church and Montgomery County, Md., have recently approved installing such systems on their school bus fleets. See related WJLA-TV ABC 7 report.

Bill Adds Safety Cameras to Wyoming’s School Buses
KOTA-TV ABC 3, Oct. 29, 2013

Some Wyoming lawmakers say a new bill will make school transportation safer for children. The Joint Interim Education Committee voted last week to support legislation requiring all public school buses to have cameras installed on the inside and outside. Those in support say the cameras send a message to drivers who might drive by a bus unloading kids.

Rapid City Relocates Bus Stop after Crash
Claims Journal, Oct. 28, 2013

A crash last month that seriously injured two Rapid City, S.D., students boarding a school bus has prompted officials to change the location of the bus stop. The children were injured when a sport utility vehicle collided with the bus on a county road and then hit them.

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Philadelphia’s Busiest Cameras Found Downtown
WPVI-TV ABC 6 (Pennsylvania), Oct. 28, 2013

New findings from AAA show that Philadelphia’s intersections near City Hall are again the busiest red-light camera intersections. The top-ticketed location is South Broad Street and Penn Square on the south side of City Hall, according to the Philadelphia Parking Authority, with 22,611 violations in 2012. See related coverage from KYW-TV CBS 3 and The Inquirer.

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@ATS_RoadSafety  @WashingtonCoMD launches School Bus Stop-Arm Enforcement Program bit.ly/Htvysz #StopArmSafety #MD

@SaferRoadsUSA WATCH: the video of the week teaches us to make sure to #StopOnRed! bit.ly/1di1QCd

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Letter to the Editor: Speed Ticket Revenue Helps Children
Hagerstown Herald-Mail (Maryland), Oct. 27, 2013

Children’s Village thanks the city of Hagerstown for supporting the child safety education program that has been synonymous with the name Children’s Village for more than 20 years. City funding in the amount of $2,000, generated from speed-camera revenue, will help to provide safety education for city students.

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“I think this is the right thing to do, and I think it is horrible that we have people violating the passing of stopped school buses.”
Sharon Bulova, Chairwoman of Fairfax County Board of Supervisors
WJLA-TV ABC 7 (Virginia), Oct. 30, 2013

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“If I send a cop up there, and we pull a car over for making an illegal turn, it would block the lane. There is a better way. Photo enforcement works in most cities in the world. Most people will not make the turn.”
Bill Blair, Toronto Police Chief
National Post (Toronto, Canada), Oct. 28, 2013

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“The red-light cameras are one of the most powerful tools we have at our disposal to deter dangerous driving behaviors at intersections. In the future, we hope to see an even greater reduction in crashes as community awareness increases.”
Antonia Ricigliano, Mayor of Edison, New Jersey
NJ.com, Oct. 25, 2013
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New Jersey
After one year with red-light cameras in place at three intersections, the township of Edison reports a 32% reduction in total crashes, 71% reduction in right-angle crashes, and a 17% reduction in rear-end crashes. Source: NJ.com. Oct. 25, 2013.