ATS’ Newsletter, Vol. 4, Issue 13

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Florida’s Red-Light Safety Camera Program Educational Video Released
Village of Key Biscayne, Feb. 25, 2014

American Traffic Solutions public service announcement video, which is accessible on YouTube, takes viewers on an educational tour of the process at work behind ATS’ red-light safety camera programs in Florida. See news release. Go directly to video.

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Drivers Ignore the Signs
CBS Philly TV-3, Feb. 25, 2014

According to the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services, bus drivers across the U.S. reported more 85,000 vehicles illegally passed stopped school buses in a single day. CBS3 saw the danger unfold first hand. The I-Team’s cameras caught more than a dozen violators breaking the law while riding a Gloucester Township school bus undercover.

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The ABC7 I-Team uncovered dangers at the school bus stop: drivers ignoring laws designed to keep children safe. It’s a deadly concern. Across metro Chicago every day, drivers are putting children at risk by passing stopped school buses at bus stops.

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Authorities Issue 305 Red-Light Running Citations in 1 Week
Palm Coast Observer (Florida), Feb. 26, 2014
Palm Coast’s Red-Light Safety Camera Program captured 2,538 violations, and authorities issued 305 citations during the week of Feb. 3-9.
WFTV-TV Channel 9 (Florida), Feb. 25, 2014

A Channel 9 investigation has found that red-light cameras have caught a number of Lynx buses rolling through intersections after the lights changed to red.
Houston Chronicle (Texas), Feb. 25, 2014
Because of the construction of U.S. 290 in Jersey Village, the department removed the 10 red-light cameras that were stationed at key intersections along U.S. 290 as it borders the city limits. Since the cameras were turned off, the city said it has seen an increase of 28 percent in the number of traffic accidents at those intersections, while overall the city has seen a 9 percent increase in traffic accidents.

 

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Watch Your Speeds in School Zones Near Akron
Akron Beacon Journal (Ohio), Feb. 26, 2014

Motorists are most likely to get caught speeding in Akron school zones on Tuesdays. They’re also most likely to get popped between 2:30 and 3 p.m. And they’re usually going 32 mph in the 20 mph zones. Those are a few of the noteworthy findings in a new report from American Traffic Solutions, which runs Akron’s traffic camera enforcement program. (Akron Beacon Journal photo by Karen Schiely)

New Speed Camera Site Selected
Southern Maryland News Online, Feb. 26, 2014

A new school zone has entered the rotation for the Charles County Sheriff’s Office automated speed enforcement program. Westlake High School has been added to the list of school zones where speed cameras can be activated, according to the sheriff’s office. The program has three cameras that generally rotate every week to different school zones.

N.Y. Governor Announces Budget Amendment for School Speed Cameras
Office of the Governor (New York), Feb. 21, 2014

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that a 30-day budget amendment has been introduced to include authorization for addition of cameras to monitor school speed zones in Nassau and Suffolk Counties.

 

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2 Students Injured at Virginia School Bus Stop
The Daily Progress/Associated Press, Feb. 26, 2014
Virginia State Police say two students suffered minor injuries when a car rear-ended a school bus in Scott County. The students were getting off the bus at a stop when the accident occurred Tuesday afternoon on Route 58 near Route 614. The bus’ side-arm stop sign and flashing lights were activated. See related coverage from WJHL-TV Channel 11.

School Bus Stop Fatality Brings Vehicular Homicide Charge
WRDW-TV Channel 12 (Georgia), Feb. 26, 2014

The man accused of hitting an 8-year-old child on Dec. 9, 2013 has been indicted on vehicular homicide and reckless driving charges. Authorities accuse the driver of  failing to stop for a school bus and hitting a child.

Driver Runs into Stopped School Bus; 9 Injured
TheNewsStar.com (Louisiana), Feb. 26, 2014

Eight students and the 57-year-old school bus driver were treated for minor injuries after a pickup crashed into the back of their stopped Rapides Parish school bus Tuesday, authorities reported.  Students had just gotten on the bus, and the red indicator lights on the bus were activated, and the stop signs were extended.

Senate Panel Advances School Bus Camera Bill
Seattle Post-Intelligencer (Washington), Feb. 26, 2014

The Senate Appropriations Committee has advanced a bill that would require school buses have cameras to catch motorists who illegally pass buses stopped to pick up and drop off students. The bill now heads to the Senate floor for further debate. In 2011, 11-year-old Makayla Marie Strahle was struck and killed by a driver who ignored a stop sign in Crowheart.

Stop-Arm Violation Education and Enforcement
School Transportation News, Feb. 24, 2014

In general, stop-arm violators can be categorized into three different groups: the impatient violator, the uneducated violator and the distracted violator. Using cameras to prosecute violators and educating the motoring public about the stop-arm law will mitigate the amount of violations from all three categories of violators.

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American Traffic Solutions is pleased to welcome the Georgetown Independent School District in Texas as a new client and to announce the signing of a new agreement with longtime client Mesa, Arizona. Georgetown Independent School District will receive ATS’ CrossingGuard school bus stop arm safety cameras, which are used to enforce school bus traffic laws for the protection of children near stopped school buses. The city of Mesa, an ATS client since 2006, has signed a new road safety camera agreement for the continued operation of red-light and speed safety cameras. Both agreements carry a five-year term. ATS is honored to participate in the traffic safety efforts of the city of Mesa and the Georgetown Independent School District.

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ATS_RoadSafety @ATS_RoadSafety VIDEO: You’ve heard the Myths. Now get the FACTS on how red-light safety cameras work: http://www.atsol.com/florida-facts/  #StopOnRed #FL

ATS_RoadSafety @ATS_RoadSafety Stop-Arm Violation Education & Enforcement: http://tmblr.co/ZC9-Wt18UDfDu  @STN Magazine #StopArmSafety

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“The goal ultimately is to get people to stay within the speed limit, especially in school zones, regardless if there is a camera present.”
Diane Richardson, Charles County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman
Southern Maryland Newspapers Online, Feb. 26, 2014

“A few students will have knee braces or neck braces. But there were no major injuries. I’m just glad the kids at least got on the bus and were not standing on the side of the road.”
Clyde Washington, Rapides Parish School District Assistant Superintendent
TheNewsStar.com (Louisiana), Feb. 26, 2014

“When these cameras are working, it does help hold the accidents down.”
D.R. Smith, Jersey Village Police Department Sergeant
Houston Chronicle (Texas), Feb. 25, 2014

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In Jersey City, where construction along U.S Highway 290 required the removal of 10 red-light cameras at key intersections, traffic accidents at those locations have increased 28 percent, while overall the city has seen a 9-percent increase in traffic accidents. Between April 18 and Dec. 31, 2012, the city experienced 76 traffic accidents at those key intersections. During the same time frame in 2013, the number of accidents increased to 97 once the cameras were taken off line. Overall, the city experienced 430 traffic accidents in 2012 versus 467 last year. Source: Houston Chronicle, Feb. 25, 2014.