ATS’ Newsletter, Vol. 4, Issue 17

 

Graphic_RLRAwarenessMonth_Large_2014
Arizona designates March as Red-Light Running Awareness Month, but as this letter writer in New York points out, this dangerous behavior happens all too often in too many places. To help spread the message to stop on red, American Traffic Solutions invites viewers to watch and share this video it produced for Red Means Stop, a non-profit organization committed to educating the public on the dangers of red-light running.   In 2012, 680 people were killed and more than 130,000 were injured in red-light running collisions across the country, which makes red-light running a public concern in every state, every day. Please, drive safely. For more information visit ATS’ Facebook page.

 

Header CrossingGuard NoTM  480 

SchoolBusCameras_PressEvent_Georgetown_Texas_032614
Georgetown Independent School District Introduces Bus Safety Cameras
KXAN-TV NBC (Texas), March 26, 2014

Starting Wednesday school buses in Georgetown will have safety camera’s to ID drivers who fail to stop when buses are dropping off students and picking them up. Five of the district’s 112 buses now have cameras from American Traffic Solutions. Georgetown ISD Transportation Director Walt Prothro said they’ll continually check for “hotspots,” areas where they see frequent violations, and rotate the buses with the cameras.

Girl, 8, Injured while Getting Off School Bus
The Florida Times-Union, March 26, 2014

An 8-year-old girl was hospitalized in serious condition after being struck by a pickup truck while walking away from her stopped school bus. Police cited the driver for passing a stopped school bus and for striking a pedestrian.

Driver Rear-Ends Stopped School Bus
Ledger-Enquirer (Georgia), March 24, 2014

A driver allegedly rear-ended a Muscogee County School District bus around 7:40 a.m. today, but no injuries were reported. According to an e-mail from the district’s communications director, Valerie Fuller, the driver of the car reportedly was cited for the accident. “The bus stop arm was out and lights were flashing at the bus stop when the driver of the car rear-ended the bus at Burt Mar and Milgen,” Fuller said. “Students were reportedly crossing the street to get on the bus at the time when the accident occurred.”

Header MediaCoverage 480

RLCSign_SugarLand_Texas_YourFortBendNews.com_111913
Sugar Land Police Department Wants to Expand Camera Program
Fort Bend Star (Texas), March 26, 2014

After reviewing proposed modifications to the red-light camera program, the Sugar Land Police Department has concluded that most of the changes aren’t needed and wants to expand the program. The police department recommendations were presented at a Sugar Land City Council workshop March 18. The recommendations were in response to the final report from the citizen-led Traffic Safety Task Force. (Photo by YourFortBendNews.com)

New Jerseyans Still Back Red-Light Cameras
The Inquirer (Pennsylvania), March 26, 2014

A majority of New Jersey motorists continues to support the use of red-light cameras, but in declining numbers, a new survey by AAA shows. The poll of 1,000 motorists found 56 percent support use of the cameras to catch drivers who run red lights.

Charge: Driver on Drugs at Time of Deadly Red-Light Running Crash
Star Tribune (Minnesota). March 26, 2014

A motorist was high on a cocktail of illicit drugs when he went through a red light and rammed his large pickup truck into a compact car crossing his path in Minnetonka, killing a grade school educator driving to work, according to charges filed Wednesday. The teacher was within 3 miles of arriving for work that morning as a paraprofessional in Chinese language immersion at Excelsior Elementary School. The teacher emigrated from Taiwan, married and raised three children.

Red-Light Camera Repeal Looks Dead this Session
The Tampa Tribune (Florida), March 26, 2014

A bill originally aimed at repealing the state’s red-light camera program has been watered down to allow the cameras, though with certain restrictions and requirements. But that bill couldn’t even get voted out of its own sponsor’s Senate committee Wednesday, as multiple amendments failed that would have put teeth back in the bill. At the meeting’s close the bill was temporarily postponed.

CameraAtIntersection_LindenN.J._Star-Ledger_041011
Crashes Decrease at Linden’s Red-Light Safety Camera Intersections
Linden Police Department (New Jersey), March 21, 2014

From a low of 8 percent to a high of 33 percent, total traffic crashes are on the decline at Linden’s five intersections with red-light safety cameras. The overall contribution to public safety is notable, but the gains are greatest at the city’s three locations with cameras in place since late 2010, according to Linden Police Department records. (The Star-Ledger photo by Aristide Economopoulos)

Header VideoOfTheWeek 480

Granite City_RLR
Officials in Granite City, Ill., Release Alarming Video
KMOV-TV CBS 4 (Missouri), March 27, 2014

Granite City officials have released incredible footage of drivers running red lights from the city’s only red-light cameras. Officials released the video amid public criticism of the camera at 17th Street and Madison Avenue. A police captain said the camera at one of the city’s most popular intersections is all about safety.

Family Asks Council to Reverse Red-Light Camera Decision
WBIR-TV NBC 10 (Tennessee), March 25, 2014

An East Tennessee family is asking local leaders in their community to reconsider their decision to stop using red-light and speed cameras. On Monday, the Oak Ridge City Council voted to stop using all four of the city’s cameras on April 21.The Paine family, of Oak Ridge, first started to push for more traffic safety regulations in the city after their 12-year-old daughter, Ashley Paine, was hit by a school bus. Ashley Paine’s grandmother, Judy Price, said she felt the council’s 4-3 vote was shortsighted. “It has made a very big difference, we haven’t had any more fatalities and we don’t want any,” Price said

Header SafeSpeeds 480

SpeedCameraSign_Chattanooga_Tennessee_032514
Chattanooga Adds Speed Cameras
WTVC-TV Channel 9 (Tennessee), March 25, 2014

Three new photo-speed enforcement cameras will soon be placed in different locations around Chattanooga which are known for speeding and accidents. The three locations were picked because they have about two times the statewide crash average for similar streets.

Header Announcements 480

ATS logo

American Traffic Solutions is pleased to announce that the City of Boulder Colorado has extended its road safety camera agreement for another year, until April 2015. Boulder became an ATS client in 2011.  ATS is honored to remain a part of the city’s traffic safety efforts.

Header Toll Roads 480

LeasePlan Launches Toll and Violations Solutions
Automotive Digest, March 2013

Lease­Plan USA is team­ing with Amer­i­can Traf­fic Solu­tions (ATS) Fleet Ser­vices to imple­ment new toll and vio­la­tion solu­tions for its clients. TollPlanSM and Vio­la­tion­s­PlanSM are inno­v­a­tive pro­grams that will cap­ture and mon­i­tor data to assist clients in man­ag­ing the most com­mon traf­fic challenges.

Kansas, Oklahoma Turnpike Authorities Reach Interoperability Agreement
KSN-TV (Kansas), March 25, 2014

Kansas Turnpike Authority has entered into an agreement with the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority for the two systems’ electronic toll collection program to be interoperable by the end of 2014. The agreement will allow K-TAG to be used on the Oklahoma Turnpike system and PikePass to be used on the Kansas Turnpike. See additional coverage in Wichita Business Journal.

Header TweetOfTheWeek 480

Graphic_FloridaFactSheet_MiamiProject_032614

ATS_RoadSafety @ATS_RoadSafety. $3 from every paid red-light safety camera violation has provided more than +$5 Mil to the @BuonicontiFund Miami Project: atsol.com/florida-facts

 

GeorgetownISD_SchoolBusCameraAnnouncement_KEYE-TV_Texas_032614
Just wrapped up a presser abt @GeorgetownISD‘s new school bus cams catching violators not stopping for kids @keyetv

Header Commentaries 480

NewspaperRolledUp_DL122612
Editorial: Red-Light Lunacy
The Tampa Tribune (Florida), March 21, 2014

The Tampa City Council’s vote to kill the city’s red-light camera program defies all logic and common sense. The four council members who voted against a contract extension to keep the cameras in place for two more years — Yvonne Yolie Capin, Charlie Miranda, Mary Mulhern and Frank Reddick — generally agree the program makes the city safer. But they are unhappy that the revenue, which totaled $1.6 million last year, is mixed into the city’s general fund rather than having some of it dedicated to transportation spending. Because of that marginal objection, they effectively put public safety at risk and undermined law enforcement. Their priorities are badly misplaced.

Editorial: Data Shows Red-Light Cameras in Conroe Improve Safety
The Courier (Texas), March 20, 2014

The Courier, which has supported red-light cameras at public intersections, believes the Conroe Police Department has the data to prove the program’s benefits. It has provided improved public safety at intersections, enabling the 107 officers in the department to handle other police matters; and, yes, it has generated tax-free revenue for the city as well as the state. State law requires that 50 percent of a governmental entity’s net revenue from the program be given to the state.

NewspaperWithPen_DL122612
Letter to the Editor: Far too Many Drivers Are Running Red Lights
The Buffalo News (New York), March 27, 2014

The other day, we came within inches of being T-boned by a car that ran a red light on Sweeney Street in Tonawanda. People need to slow down! We usually count to four at a red light before proceeding, but this light was already green. Don’t even get me started on stop signs, which apparently do not mean stop. The pace is too fast today. Here’s an odd concept: Leave a little early for work or your appointments. Remember the old saying: “Slow down – the life you save may be your own.”

Letter to the Editor: Safer School Zones with Cameras
Newsday (New York), March 26, 2014

The writer of “School cameras not about safety” [Letters, March 7] was misinformed. The speed limit in most residential neighborhoods is 30 mph, not 40. The main reason we have 20-mph speeds posted around schools is to protect our children. … I am elated about cameras in school zones. Maybe more people will become more caring of our future: our children.

 

Header QuoteOfTheWeek 480

Waits,Roland_Captain_GeorgetownPoliceDepartment_Texas_SchoolBusCameras_032614
“It’s going to give us an extra set of eyes and ears out on the road.”
Roland Waits, Georgetown Police Department Captain
KXAN-TV NBC (Texas), March 26, 2014

Brescia,Adam_HillsboroCountySheriffsOffice_Florida_072613
“That means we’re changing driving behavior and people are a little more aware. This is not a revenue issue, this is purely about driver safety.”
Adam Brescia, Corporal with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office
The Tampa Tribune (Florida), March 24, 2014

Header Statistics 480

Florida
There have been no fatalities at the six intersections in Hillsborough County with red-light safety cameras since they were installed 3 1/2 half years ago and crashes have gone down there, as have citations running red lights, according to Sheriff’s Cpl. Adam Brescia. Source: The Tampa Tribune, March 24, 2014.

Texas
Georgetown Independent School District introduces school bus safety cameras this week to discourage drivers from passing stopped school buses and endangering children. During a recent study period of 19 days, the school district noted 430 incidents of motorists passing buses picking up or dropping off students. Source: KXAN-TV NBC, March 26, 2014.

In Conroe, at the seven intersections with red-light safety cameras, there were 83 total accidents in the 17-month period before the 10 cameras were installed. The total number of accidents annually at those intersections has not surpassed 34 since the program’s inception, despite the fact that traffic has increased 8.3 percent to nearly 34 million vehicles passing by those cameras each year. Source: The Courier, March 20, 2014.