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Knoxville Police Defend Red-Light Cameras with Visual Evidence
WBIR-TV NBC 10 (Tennessee), Jan. 17, 2015

While a Tennessee legislator wants to ban red-light cameras, Knoxville Police say the cameras help protect the public.

Germantown Could See Red-Light Safety Cameras Return
WMC-TV NBC 5 (Tennessee), Jan. 17, 2015

If approved, red-light safety cameras will soon be installed at three intersections possibly by late March. Germantown city administrator Patrick Lawton said the plan is to bring back red-light cameras in heavy traffic areas to cut down on accidents.

Tennessee Police Departments Say Red-Light Cameras Improve Safety
WCYB-TV NBC 5 (Virginia), Jan. 16, 2015

In an interview with Kingsport and Johnson City police, WCYB-TV heard support for red-light safety camera programs. Both departments said the cameras have made streets safer because they make drivers more aware of their surroundings at intersections. See related article by Knoxville News Sentinel.

 

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Rochester Council Votes to Expand Red-Light Camera Study
WXXI-PBS Radio AM 1370 (New York), Jan. 21, 2015

Rochester City Council voted Tuesday night to expand the red-light camera study. The results of the original study were released last November. The expanded endeavor will try and determine why seven or eight intersections of the 32 with red-light cameras are seeing an increase of violations and an increase in crashes. See earlier coverage by WROC-TV CBS 8.

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Red-Light Camera Petition Dismissed in Willis, Texas
YourHoustonNews.com, Jan. 20, 2015

The Willis City Council has dismissed a petition calling for red-light camera use in the city to be taken to a vote by the electorate in the upcoming May elections. Council members unanimously approved the dismissal of the proposal after consideration and a recommendation by the city attorney. (Conroe Courier photo by Eric S. Swist)

Weld County Sheriff’s Office Warns of Ticket Scam
Reporter-Herald (Colorado), Jan. 20, 2015

The Weld County Sheriff’s Office is reminding people that their office does not contact residents by phone, e-mail or mail to obtain funds for a traffic fine. A telephone con-artist is telling residents to pay their photo radar fine or face arrest. The sheriff’s office advised anyone contacted by someone claiming to be with law enforcement to get the caller’s name, badge number and agency, then tell the caller he or she will contact the agency directly.

More Red-Light Safety Cameras Installed in Westchester
The Pelham Daily Voice (New York), Jan. 20, 2015

More municipalities in Westchester County are installing red-light traffic cameras at popular intersections. Last week, Mount Vernon became the third Westchester city — joining New Rochelle and Yonkers — to install red-light security cameras at popular, densely traveled intersections in an effort to catch motorists on the wrong end of a red light.

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Tracy, Sparks Favor Red-Light Cameras
The Daily News Journal (Tennessee), Jan. 19, 2015

Two state lawmakers who represent Rutherford County favor keeping the city’s red-light cameras in place despite proposed legislation that would ban such traffic enforcement. (Image from 2013 WTVF-TV CBS 5 report)

Red-Light Runners in Mount Vernon Face Tickets
Mid-Hudson News (New York), Jan. 18, 2015

The 30-day warning phase in the new Mount Vernon, N.Y., red-light camera program has ended and motorists who run red lights will start getting $50 fines in the mail.

Newburgh Heights to Hire Officers to Man Traffic Cameras
Cleveland Plain Dealer (Ohio), Jan. 17, 2015

Newburgh Heights is planning to hire full-time police officers to station near its traffic cameras to put them in compliance with a new state law. In December, the Ohio General Assembly passed a law that said tickets issued by traffic cameras wouldn’t be valid without a police officer present. The law was expected to effectively ban the devices.  But Newburgh Heights says the law adds more credibility to tickets issued by the cameras by creating a uniform set of rules surrounding their use. See related article by WOIO-TV Channel 19.

 

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Unlicensed Driver Charged after Hitting 6-Year-Old Exiting Bus
The Queens Courier (New York), Jan. 20, 2015

A Rosedale man has been charged with assault and other charges after he struck a 6-year-old boy as the child was exiting his school bus and then fled the scene. The boy was walking off a stopped school bus in Cambria Heights on Dec. 3, 2014, when he was struck. The child was taken to the hospital, where he was treated for a broken femur. The injury required surgical plates and screws.

Chesterfield Schools Want Cameras to Catch Illegal Passers
The Hopewell News (Virginia), Jan. 16, 2015

Drivers in the county who pass a school bus while it is picking up or dropping off kids could soon be caught on camera and face a big fine. The Chesterfield School Board last month unanimously approved a motion to ask the Board of Supervisors to approve an ordinance to allow cameras to catch bus passers. Related news from the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that a subcommittee of elected leaders offered no resistance to the idea this week.

Drivers Warned of Big Penalties after Child Hit Exiting School Bus
NJ Advance Media for NJ.com (New Jersey), Jan. 15, 2015

The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office is warning drivers of big penalties they could face for not yielding to a school bus and asking other motorists to report the violations. The warning comes after a 9-year-old boy was struck by a car Jan. 6 after getting off a bus in Lakewood and dragged approximately 80 feet into an intersection, authorities said. He was listed last week in stable condition, police said.

 

Header Announcements 480

ATS Primary Logo

American Traffic Solutions (ATS) is pleased to its announce that five cities in Maryland recently renewed their red-light safety camera programs for another year. The cities of Cheverly, Greenbelt, Landover Hills, Morningside and Westminster all accepted the one-year renewal options in their agreements. Each municipality signed their original contracts in 2009 with LaserCraft, which ATS acquired in 2010. ATS is particularly honored when clients choose to renew their partnerships, and looks forward to assisting all of its customers with their road safety camera programs.

 

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ATS_RoadSafety @ATS_RoadSafety All you have to do is STOP at the red light. This vehicle learned first-hand what happens when you don’t … http://youtu.be/IdAna_g-WdM?a

IIHS @IIHS_autosafety NHTSA study shows the roads are the safest they’ve ever been http://fw.to/eBx2fZQ

NCSR @SaferRoadsUSA In 2013, more than 3.5 million drivers received red-light violations across 20 states. http://ncsrsafety.org/stop-on-red/

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ATS_RoadSafety @ATS_RoadSafety Someone loves you — drive with care & ALWAYS #StopOnRed. Would this sign make you drive safer? http://tmblr.co/ZC9-Wt1b69JFx

 

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Firm Proposes Inner-Loop Toll Road to Ease Traffic in Baton Rouge
The Advocate (Louisiana), Jan. 17, 2015

An international engineering firm has submitted a preliminary proposal to the state to build an “inner loop” toll road around Baton Rouge. The unsolicited proposal presents a possible public private partnership, which envisions using toll revenue to repay the costs plus a profit. The Louisiana Transportation Authority voted to allow the state Department of Transportation and Development to hire an expert and review the plan. (The Advocate map by John Gipson)

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Is Tampa Ready for Express Toll Lanes?
WFTS-TV ABC Action News (Florida), Jan. 16, 2015

Now that voters on both sides of Tampa Bay have said “no” to light rail, commuters stuck in bumper to bumper traffic have lots of time to ponder another solution to chronic gridlock. A Florida Department of Transportation mailer that went out earlier this week may hold the answer. FDOT has scheduled public meetings to discuss a plan for express toll lanes crisscrossing the Tampa Bay area.

 

Header Commentaries 480

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Letter to the Editor: In Defense of Photo Radar and Red-Light Cameras
Denver Post (Colorado), Jan. 21, 2015

If you want to know whether photo enforcement is working, you should ask if it slows down traffic. Then you can ask if slowing traffic enhances safety. Then you’ll know if speed enforcement is worth it to society, assuming one values safety on our city streets over any presumptive time individual drivers might save by speeding.

Letter: Use Technology to Reduce Police Force
Daily Record (Tennessee), Jan. 19, 2015

Technological innovation typically reduces the number of people required to perform the task through traditional methods. … One would think that surveillance cameras would greatly reduce the need for cops on the street. … It is a realistic expectation that the introduction of the drone into police work will almost eliminate the need for police on patrol. Hiring trends in cities and towns indicate otherwise.

 

Header QuoteOfTheWeek 480

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“There is no place in the world that a person needs to rush to when one is confronted with a stopped school bus filled with young children. In this case, a precious few minutes could have prevented a young child from being seriously injured. The defendant now faces felony assault and other charges.”
Richard Brown, District Attorney for Queens, New York
The Queens Courier (New York), Jan. 20, 2015

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“We’re concerned that if you take this program away, you’re going to increase the number of crashes, you’re going to increase the number of significant injuries to individuals, and you’re going to increase the number of fatalities that we see in the city of Knoxville.”
Darrell DeBusk, Public Information Officer with Knoxville Police Department
WBIR-TV NBC 10 (Tennessee), Jan. 17, 2015

 

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“When we have children who are getting on and off the buses, it’s even more important that you’re paying attention. … I hope we end up at a point in time where no citations are issued because nobody’s doing it. But I think this is one way to bring awareness.”
Carrie Coyner, Chesterfield School Board Representative, Virginia
The Hopewell News (Virginia), Jan. 16, 2015

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“We have been ramping up our speed camera program and we see in places where we put them in, driving speeds can drop by 50 percent in a matter of months.”
Polly Trottenberg, New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner
Home Reporter and Sunset News (New York), Jan. 12, 2015