ATS’ Newsletter, Vol. 4, Issue 21

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Florida Court Backs Role of Red-Light Camera Firm
Sarasota Herald-Tribune, April 23, 2014

A divided state appeals court Wednesday upheld the role of contractor American Traffic Solutions in the road safety camera program with the city of Hollywood. The ruling upheld the city’s procedure for using a traffic enforcement officer to determine if a citation should be issued, while using ATS to transmit violations and, if necessary, uniform traffic citations.

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Red-Light Violations Routinely Dismissed for Funeral Processions
KYW-TV CBS 3 (Pennsylvania), April 23, 2014

Drivers who are part of funeral processions don’t have to worry about getting nabbed by red-light cameras in Philadelphia. (KYW-TV CBS 3 photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Residents of State College Asking for Red-Light Cameras
WJAC-TV Channel 6 (Pennsylvania), April 22, 2014

A group of people living in State College are hoping to make the streets a little safer. They want the Borough to install cameras at certain intersections to crack down on drivers who are running red lights. They are asking for the public’s help to get them installed.

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Boulder, Colo., Opposes Camera Ban; Says Cameras Make Streets Safer
Government Technology, April 21, 2014

Boulder has deployed traffic-enforcement cameras for more than 15 years, and city officials say both moving violations and accidents in camera-monitored intersections have decreased significantly in that time. With that in mind, Boulder has come out in staunch opposition to a bill currently being heard in the Colorado Legislature that would outlaw photo traffic enforcement across the state.

Report: Delaware’s Red-Light Cameras Reduce Dangerous Crashes
DelMarva Public Radio/The Associated Press (Maryland), April 21, 2014

A state report shows Delaware’s red-light cameras are reducing the frequency of dangerous crashes at 30 intersections, even as they bring in fewer dollars than in past years. Delaware Department of Transportation says it has seen an average 29 percent decline in red-light-running crashes since the program began. View report here.

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More Red-Light Cameras in Proposed Memphis Budget
The Commercial Appeal (Tennessee), April 20, 2014

If the Memphis City Council approves Mayor A C Wharton’s proposed budget, the city would install 30 new red-light cameras to catch traffic violations at intersections. (WMC-TV 5 image)

License Plate Reader Helps Crack Missouri Highway Shooter Case
Los Angeles Times (California), April 20, 2014

For almost a month, Kansas Citians lived through what amounted to a horror movie without an ending. According to the narrative described in court documents, it would take cutting-edge and occasionally controversial law enforcement technology, including license-plate readers, to put an end to the horror show.

 

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Driver Slams Car Into Back of School Bus
KCNC-TV CBS 4 (Colorado), April 19, 2014

When a Poudre School District Bus stopped to pick up a seventh-grade student in Larimer County on Friday morning, a woman driving a car slammed into the back of the bus. The crash injured five people. See related coverage from KDVR-TV FOX 31(KDVR image)

3 Students Hurt when Car Hits Bus
The Journal Gazette (Indiana), April 22, 2014

Three students were injured Monday morning in Williams County, Ohio, after a car failed to stop behind a Millcreek-West Unity Local school bus, according to a statement from the Ohio State Highway Patrol. The bus was stopped to pick up a student. Its red flashing lights and stop sign were activated.

Close Call Prompts School District to Install Safety Cameras
WFSB-TV Channel 3, April 21, 2014

The town of Cheshire wants to change the dangerous occurrence of cars passing stopped school buses by installing school bus safety cameras on half of its fleet.

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Suffolk Lawmakers Back School-Zone Speed Cameras
Newsday (New York), April 22, 2014

Suffolk County Tuesday asked state legislators for permission to install speed cameras in dozens of school zones — a program supporters said would increase safety for children and raise an estimated $6.8 million a year for the county. The State Legislature is considering allowing one camera per school district in Suffolk and Nassau counties, and allow New York City to expand the number of speed cameras from the current 20 to 140. There are 69 school districts in Suffolk County and 56 in Nassau. See related coverage at FiOS1 news channel.

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Hearing Discusses Speed Cameras on Roosevelt Boulevard
The Inquirer (Pennsylvania), April 21, 2014

Speed-enforcement cameras would “dramatically change the driving culture” on Roosevelt Boulevard, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey told state lawmakers on Monday, urging passage of a bill to legalize such cameras. The cameras, which currently are not allowed in Pennsylvania, would photograph the license plates of vehicles moving faster than the permitted speed and generate a ticket that would be reviewed by police before being mailed to the vehicle’s owner.

Officials in Nassau County Ask for Speed Cameras in School Zones
Insurance Journal, April 21, 2014

Officials in Long Island’s Nassau County, in the western part of Long Island, have formally asked for state permission to install up to 56 speed cameras in school zones. The County Legislature unanimously supported the speed camera resolution on April 17.

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ATS Records 1st Quarter Growth Across Divisions
News Release, April 23, 2014

More than 30 municipalities, counties and school districts selected or continued with American Traffic Solutions (ATS) as their partner to improve traffic safety at intersections, along speed corridors, bus lanes and around stopped school buses in the first three months of 2014. Additionally, ATS Fleet Services’ Toll and Violation management solutions continue to grow as more Fleets and fleet management companies selected ATS as their partner for helping solve their toll and violation management challenges.

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Sawgrass Expressway Now Cashless Tolling
WPTV-TV NBC 5 (Florida), April 20, 2014

The cash toll option has been removed on the Sawgrass Expressway as of Sunday. The conversion is the latest push to an all-electronic toll collection. Crews worked overnight to deactivate all cash tollbooths and coin baskets at the Sunrise toll plaza, the Deerfield toll plaza and 15 ramp plazas, according to the Department of Transportation.

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ATS_RoadSafety @ATS_RoadSafety Hands free is not risk free! Check out this #DistractedDriving infographic by @NSCsafety pinterest.com/pin/4374121825…

Retweeted by ATS_Roadsafety PublicPolicyPolling @ppppolls In Colorado 50% of voters also support the use of red-light safety cameras at dangerous intersections, 39% oppose publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/2014/Color…

Retweeted by ATS_Roadsafety PublicPolicyPolling @ppppolls Our Colorado poll shows voters support the use of speed safety cameras in school zones by a 60-33 margin. publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/2014/Color…

ATS_RoadSafety @ATS_RoadSafety Suffolk County endorses speed cameras online.wsj.com/article/AP8420… via @WSJ #speedkills

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Commentary: Red Light Cameras Help St. Louis Metro Police Department
Gendarme (Missouri), March 2014

Most people have a strong opinion when it comes to red light cameras, but there is one undisputable fact. Violations go down at intersections which use red light safety cameras. At some of the earliest intersections to install cameras in the city, citations are down over 80 percent.

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Editorial: Give Speed Cameras a Try
The Intelligencer (Pennsylvania), April 23, 2014

Speed does, in fact, kill, and police everywhere — not just in the city — aren’t up to the task of enforcing the law. If cameras can help, they should at least be given a try.

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Letter to the Editor: Red-Light Cameras Protect the Public
The Daily Camera (Colorado), April 22, 2014

Since moving to Colorado 20 years ago, I’ve had a generally favorable impression of our state Legislature. However, the proposed legislation to outlaw red-light cameras is perhaps the worst example of legislative cowardice I have seen.

Letter: Neighborhood Speeders Don’t Get It
Daily Republic (California), April 20, 2014

I would would like to suggest that the city police fit themselves out with an unmarked car with a speed camera that can be parked on the side of the road and captured as the culprit drives past. Get these few thoughtless individuals to pay for the work needed in speeding fines to send them the message to slow down in residential areas.

Letter: Camera Ban Proposal Is Misguided
The Pueblo Chieftain (Colorado), April 20, 2014

So many scofflaws are complaining about the red-light cameras and their excuses are laughable. … Instead of whining about red-light cameras, how about trying something different? Put down the cellphone and follow the rules of the road. Your fellow drivers will thank you.

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“We have citizens crying out for more enforcement of speed limits in front of schools. It’s a safety issue.”
Kara Hahn, Suffolk County Legislator
Newsday (New York), April 22, 2014

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“Despite the most aggressive traffic enforcement by police officers, still only one violator can be stopped at a time. When one violator is stopped, 10 more can speed by with impunity.”
Charles H. Ramsey, Philadelphia Police Commissioner
The Inquirer (Pennsylvania), April 21, 2014

“I’m definitely pleased with how this is going. We’re changing driver behavior and saving lives.”
Adam Weiser, Director of Traffic Safety Programs for DelDOT
The News Journal (Delaware), April 19, 2014