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Violations Fall at School Zone, Intersection Sites in Bellevue
KING-TV NBC 5 (Washington), Feb. 5, 2015

Additional police cameras in Bellevue have been installed to catch drivers running red lights and speeding, particularly in school zones. City records show there’s been a 47 percent decrease in violations since the program was launched in 2009.

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Dangerous Intersections Sees Thousands of Citations
WGCL-TV CBS 46 (Georgia), Feb. 4, 2015

If you crunch the numbers, an average of 20 drivers a day will receive a citation in the mail for running the red light at Barnett Shoals and Gaines School Road in Athens.

Police: Video Shows SUV Leaving Crash Scene, Injured 10-year-old
WFTV-TV Channel 9 (Florida), Feb. 3, 2015

Ocoee police have released video that they say shows a black SUV leaving the scene of a crash that left a 10-year-old girl critically injured. According to police, video from a red-light camera shows the SUV shortly after the collision.

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Mississippi Legislator Wants Stop-Arm Cameras on All School Buses
WAPT-TV Channel 16, Feb. 3, 2015

One Mississippi lawmaker wants new technology on school buses to protect children. “I think people are better behaved if they know they’re being recorded,” state Rep. Rita Martinson said.

 

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Palm Coast Adjusts to Court Rulings, Keeps Red-Light Cameras on
Historic City News (Florida), Feb. 4, 2015

Despite recent court rulings, and a federal lawsuit still to be decided, the City of Palm Coast reports that they are continuing their red-light camera program. City spokeswoman Cindi Lane told reporters, “We have been monitoring the court cases. The only change is that those who don’t pay the $158 fine within 60 days aren’t being pursued — at least for now.” (Palm Coast Observer photo)

Palo Alto Councilwoman Sees Safety in Red-Light Cameras
San Jose Mercury News (California), Feb. 3, 2015

Palo Alto has a problem with motorists blowing through red lights, according to one elected official who sees red-light cameras as the solution. Councilwoman Liz Kniss said something needs to be done to address the safety concerns she keeps fielding from residents — and police officers. See related article in Fort Bragg Advocate-News.

Red Means Stop Urges Opposition to Camera Bill
MorningStar.com, Feb. 3, 2015

Red Means Stop, a leading advocacy group for red-light running related victims and safety advocates, is calling on the Arizona Senate to reject legislation that would compromise safety and increase crash-related costs in Arizona.

Flower Mound Police Warn of Phone Scam
KXAS-TV NBC 5 (Texas), Feb. 3, 2015

Flower Mound Police report at least 20 residents have received calls from a scammer claiming to be with their department. The caller tells the victims that they owe the city money for unpaid red-light camera violations and then demands it be paid via a Reloadit prepaid card. Flower Mound doesn’t have any red-light cameras, and even if they did officers say they’d never go about collecting unpaid fines in that way.

Vehicle Design, Automated Enforcement Among Safety Improvements
Medical Daily, Feb. 2, 2015

Due to the newest vehicle designs, your chances of dying in a car accident have fallen by more than a third over the past three years, the latest statistics from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reveal. … While experts continue to look for the next big thing in vehicle safety, some non-experts continue to press for tried and true safety measures, including automated enforcement cameras, which are known to slash rates of vehicular death.

Clewiston Resumes Red-Light Camera Program
The Clewiston News (Florida), Jan. 29, 2015

Clewiston City Commissioners approved an amendment to the city’s contract with its red-light camera vendor, American Traffic Solutions (ATS), resuming the use of red-light cameras as of midnight, Jan. 28. City attorney Charles Schoech advised commissioners as to how the revised contract addresses issues raised in a Fourth District Court of Appeals. The amended contract could protect the city if it were ever faced with a lawsuit regarding the uniform traffic citations, and ATS advised it would help defend the city in the courtroom if needed, Schoech said.

 

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Bus Drivers Say Stop Arms Are Run Daily
WCBD-TV NBC 2 (South Carolina), Feb. 2, 2015

A State Department of Education survey of bus drivers in 25 of South Carolina’s 81 school districts reported more than 15 school bus stop arm violations per district, and close to the dozen or so each day reported in Berkeley County School District. For that reason, Berkeley Director of Transportation Wes Fleming is in the process of testing cameras mounted on the outside of buses to capture video of drivers who illegally pass those buses and put children at risk. See related coverage from WCIV-TV ABC 4. (WCBD-TV NBC 2 image)

School Bus Cameras Catch Hundreds of Violations
WSB-Radio, AM 720, FM 95.5 (Georgia), Feb. 2, 2015

On average, 350 school bus passing violations are issued every week in Gwinnett County Schools, where 230 out of 1,900 school buses operate school bus stop arm cameras. The district began the program in December with just warnings, but transitioned to live citations at the start of the year.

New Law Seeks to Protect Children in Arlington
WTOP-Radio 103.5 FM (Washington D.C.), Feb. 2, 2015

In a new effort to keep students safe, Arlington County will be using high-resolution video cameras to catch drivers who ignore stopped school buses. While the ordinance went into effect Feb. 1, no stop-arm cameras have been installed on buses yet. Negotiations between the district and the vendor are in progress, however, and cameras could be installed and in effect in 90 days.

School Bus Related Traffic Violations Rise
Galax Gazette (Virginia), Feb. 2, 2015

Virginia State Police charged six motorists in Hillsville last week for passing stopped school buses in Carroll County. Several buses in the county’s fleet are equipped with camera systems that record the entire routes daily. As a result of the camera systems, motorists who pass stopped school buses are also recorded, and the state police actively use the recordings to charge and prosecute motorists who violate those laws.

Cameras Nailing School-Bus-Passing Motorists
Atlanta Journal Constitution (Georgia), Jan. 30, 2015

In the first 100 days of Decatur’s school bus stop-arm camera program, cameras mounted on 10 school buses have caught 646 motorists illegally passing when the stop arm is extended. Those drivers have subsequently been issued citations.

 

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American Traffic Solutions (ATS) is pleased to present Smith County, Texas, as its latest road safety camera client. Under the terms of their agreement, ATS will work with the county to implement a school zone speed safety camera program for an initial term of 10 years with options for renewal. ATS is honored to be selected as the vendor for this program and looks forward to working with Smith County and all of its clients to improve safety on their roads.

 

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ATS_RoadSafety @ATS_RoadSafety Happy #Friday! Take a sec to watch this video & remember you LIVE here, WORK here, PLAY here. Learn more: http://youtu.be/ypaDN3heN3Y

NHTSA @NHTSA.gov Did you know? It’s Aggressive Driving Awareness Month. #aggressivedriving Remind yourself it’s better to be late… http://fb.me/2PRd9GSoS

 

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Revisions to I-95 Work Includes Toll Lanes
Sun Sentinel (Florida), Feb. 3, 2015

Drivers eager for traffic relief with a new Interstate 95 interchange in Boca Raton will have to wait a bit longer for an easier commute. The Spanish River Boulevard interchange now under construction is going to take at least seven months longer to be completed. The Florida Department of Transportation added more work to the project, requesting the contractor make room for future express toll lanes. (Sun Sentinel photo)

Toll Barrier Improvements Include Automated Tolling
WBFO-Radio 88.7 NPR (New York) Feb. 2, 2015

Long debated plans to make improvements at the Thruway’s traffic-clogged Williamsville toll barrier are expected to move forward in the near future. Williamsville Mayor Brian Kulpa told WBFO News one of the major changes will involved E-ZPass lanes that will allow vehicles to move through the toll barrier at 20 mph — four times faster than the current posted speed.

 

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Commentary: Cameras in Sugar Land Are Right Move
Fort Bend Star (Texas), Feb. 5, 2015

Two years ago, the city of Boston suffered a terrorist attack at its annual Marathon. Law enforcement was able to identify and track down the suspects due to surveillance cameras near the Marathon’s finish line. As a result of that technology, the suspect is sitting in jail awaiting a possible federal death penalty sentence. As technology becomes more advanced and more available, our communities have an obligation to utilize it — for national and local security.

Commentary: Learning to Love the Red-Light Cameras
Johnson City Press (Tennessee), Feb. 2, 2015

I know it is not a popular thing to say, but I’m going to say it anyway: I really don’t mind red-light cameras. And I get more than a little satisfaction from hearing motorists carp about them. Being acquainted with the driving habits of some of the narcissists who are the most perturbed by them, I am certain red-light cameras can and do achieve their goals.

 

Header QuoteOfTheWeek 480

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“We’re seeing those violations decrease by almost half.”
Seth Tyler, Bellevue Police Officer
KING-TV NBC 5 (Washington), Feb. 5, 2015

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“It’s not a red-light camera — but that doesn’t mean you run it.”
Bill Tokajer, Police Chief of Holmes Beach, Florida
The Islander (Florida), Feb. 3, 2015

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“As to the loss of revenue because people are complying with the law, I say ‘Hallelujah.’ That’s the very purpose of it. It’s not supposed to be a revenue raiser. It’s supposed to be an enforcement mechanism, first and foremost.”
Mary Cheh, District of Columbia Councilmember, Chairwoman of Transportation and Environment Committee.
WTOP-Radio 1500 AM, District of Columbia, Jan. 31, 2015

Header Statistics 480

Georgia
In Decatur, a 100-day old school bus safety camera program has caught 646 motorists illegally passing school buses when the stop arm is extended. CrossingGuard cameras are installed on 10 district buses. Atlanta Journal Constitution (Georgia), Jan. 30, 2015.

Pennsylvania
The scale of Philadelphia’s traffic deaths is important to put into context. In 2013, 89 people died in motor vehicle crashes in Philadelphia. Homicides claimed 247 lives and fire claimed 23. So, motor vehicle crashes are claiming three times as many women, men and children as fires and is one-third the number of people who are murdered. Plan Philly, Feb. 4, 2015.

Washington
Red-light running and school zone speeding violations have decreased 47 percent in Bellevue, since the city launched its road safety camera program in 2009. KING-TV NBC 5, Feb. 5, 2015.