Frequently Asked Questions

A violation occurs when a motorist enters an intersection after the signal light has turned red. Motorists trapped inadvertently in an intersection when the signal changes to red (for example: waiting to turn left) are not red light runners.

Red light running is one of the major causes of collisions, deaths, and injuries at signalized intersections in the U.S. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that 20% of drivers do not obey intersection signals.
Crashes caused by red light running result in more than 800 fatalities and 165,000 injuries each year, according to the NHTSA. The economic impact of red light running on society is estimated to be $14 billion annually. Other motorists and pedestrians account for nearly half the deaths caused by red light running crashes.

Red light cameras help communities enforce traffic laws by automatically photographing vehicles whose drivers run red lights.
View how red light cameras work for more information on the functionality of the cameras.

Traditional traffic law enforcement is intensive and high-risk. Police departments rely exclusively on the presence of officers to observe violations and cite offenders, which is limiting. Officers cannot be everywhere. When officers observe a violation, it is not always possible to safely stop the violator because the officer may have to speed or run a red light to do so. This can endanger motorists and pedestrians as well as police officers. Plus, traffic stops in high-traffic areas can increase congestion.
Communities lack the resources necessary to allow police to patrol intersections as often as would be needed to ticket all motorists who run red lights and thereby make a significant impact on red light running. Red light cameras are designed to identify traffic law violators without depending on the presence of police officers, allowing communities to focus on other enforcement needs.

The use of adequate yellow signal timing reduces red light running-related injuries and collisions, bur longer yellow timing used together with red light cameras provides a more significant decrease in incidents of red light running.

• View the red light field study results conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for more information.

Redflex technology is designed to photograph only those vehicles entering the intersection after the light has turned red. While drivers who fear a ticket for red light running can cause a rear-end collision by applying their brakes too quickly, these types of accidents are far less dangerous than the typical right-angle collision caused by red light running. This suggests a positive aggregate benefit.
A 2007 study of three Iowa communities equipped with red light cameras found no increase in rear-end collisions. A 2005 study in Raleigh, North Carolina, showed a 25% reduction in rear-end accidents. Columbus, Ohio experienced an 81% decrease in rear-end collisions at its first installed intersections after one year.