Police Stop Red-Light Camera Tickets Officials will not enforce red-light citations issued to drivers, a decision similar to Los Angeles City Council's decision. Glendale's occurred eight months after the Los Angeles City Council and Police Commission unanimously voted to stop red-light camera enforcement for a variety of reasons, including cost effectiveness and lack of ticket payments. Costs for the program came from revenue generated from tickets, but over the four years that the program was in operation, those figures had dropped so that the city was just breaking even . March 27, 2012--Veronica Rocha /Photo Enforcement / Traffic Camera Enforcement / Traffic Camera Enforcement / Red Light Camera / Automated Enforcement / Photo Ticket/Source: Glendale News-Press "Police Shut Down Red- Light Camera Program"

WHAT'S BEHIND BACKLASH AGAINST TRAFFIC CAMERAS? Drivers are fighting back against use of automated cameras that target drivers who speed or run red lights. Since 1990s cameras are now used in 661 cities and towns across 24 states, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Most drivers are critical of the large sums of money generated by fines. Opponents also say red-light cameras increase the number of accidents. In fact, in Congress a transportation bill drafted by House Republicans includes a ban on the local use of federal funds to pay for enforcement. A study by the consumer advocacy group U.S. PIRG found that many contracts between local governments and camera companies require the parties to divide revenue from fines. Some contracts require the shortest duration of yellow lights, keeping governments from lengthening the time — which could reduce the number of violators ticketed. March 23. 2012--- Photo Enforcement / Traffic Camera Enforcement / Traffic Camera Enforcement / Red Light Camera / Automated Enforcement / Photo Ticket / PIRG / Transportation Bill. Source: NPR article by Corey Davis

SIMPLY CHANGING DEFINITION WILL DIMINISH RED-LIGHT CAMERA TICKETING IN ARIZONA Definition change of intersection enables motorists to have more time to get through an intersection before being photo-ticketed. This change by the state Senate Appropriations Committee brings Arizona into compliance with federal regulations. March 20, 2012-- Photo Enforcement / Traffic Camera Enforcement / Traffic Camera Enforcement / Red Light Camera / Automated Enforcement / Photo Ticket / Federal Regulations/ Source: House Bill 2557 (Arizona Legislature)

GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA STOPS USE OF RED LIGHT CAMERAS
Because of legal challenges and disappointing ticket revenues, Glendale, California drops its four-year - old program as of February 24, 2012. The major reason for the cancellation of the program is the number of contradictory court decisions which have put photo evidence in a state of uncertainty. The most successful argument against the photo enforcement tickets is the U. S. Supreme Court's interpretation of the Confrontation Clause which requires individuals who create technical evidence to be present in court for cross-examination at trial. March 15, 2012-- Photo Enforcement / Traffic Camera Enforcement / Traffic Camera Enforcement / Red Light Camera / Automated Enforcement / Photo Ticket / Source: Glendale Police Department Press Release

GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA POLICE HALT RED-LIGHT CAMERA PROGRAM Officials decide to stop issuing citations for red-light camera violations at four intersections set up throughout the city. The decision, which took effect February 24, 2012, was made because the program had become "cumbersome" and "not the best use of ...resources." March 13, 2012 -- Photo Enforcement / Traffic Camera Enforcement / Traffic Camera Enforcement / Red Light Camera / Automated Enforcement / Photo Ticket / Source: Glendale Police Department Press Release

CHICAGO'S MAYOR'S SPEED CAMERAS TO AID POLITICAL ALLY Raum Emanual supporter consults for firm, Redflex Traffic Systems, that would make millions from city's installation of automated speed cameras. The coinciding interests of the mayor, his political supporters, consultant Greg Goldner and attorney Michael Kasper, who set up Emanual's PAC, and the camera company are likely to cause more skepticism about an initiative already labeled by critics as a moneymaker for the cash-poor city. March 13, 2012--- Photo Enforcement / Traffic Camera Enforcement / Traffic Camera Enforcement / Red Light Camera / Automated Enforcement / Photo Ticket/ Redflex Traffic Systems/Speed Cameras / Automated Speed Cameras / Source: News Article: Chicago Tribune

NEW JERSEY RED LIGHT CAMERA COMPANY USES MISLEADING VIDEO TO PROMOTE TRAFFIC CAMERA USE Linden, New Jersey, video clip misleadingly shows traffic accident alleging that red light cameras deter such crashes. The clip, along with seven other video clips in a 90 second long promotional film released by American Traffic Solutions (ATS) was actually taken at an intersection that uses a red light camera to discourage people from running red lights. In this particular video, the clip indicates the Honda involved was not at fault and was not issued an automated camera citation. In addition, all the videos were taken at intersections that used the red light cameras. January 18, 2012--Photo Enforcement / Traffic Camera Enforcement / Red Light Camera / Automated Enforcement / Photo Ticket /American Traffic Solutions (ATS)/ Source: News Article: New Jersey: Camera Company Uses Deceptive Crash Footage, Banthecams.org

PASADENA, CALIFORNIA, CONSIDERS DROPPING RED LIGHT CAMERA PROGRAM Pasadena set to join 31 other California cities in eliminating red light camera program Pasadena, California city officials have recommended not renewing the red light camera program. Since merely increasing the length of time of the yellow light signal at additional intersections resulted in a similar decrease in accident rates, continuing the red light camera program seems unfeasible as well as unprofitable. If the program is discontinued, Pasadena would be the 32nd community to stop the program in California. December 9, 2011 – Photo Enforcement / Traffic Camera Enforcement / Red Light Camera / Automated Enforcement / Photo Ticket / News Article: Pasadena, California May Dump Red Light Cameras, theNewspaper.com

OMISSION IN LEGISLATION MAKES TEXAS LICENSE PLATES OPTIONAL Texas legislation becomes law with key line "An offense under this section is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed $200," deleted. Driving with a false or altered plate remains a misdemeanor, however. Lawmakers will not have a chance to change the law until January 8, 2013, when the legislature reconvenes, unless Governor Perry calls a special session to address the license plate issue. June 17, 2011—Texas license plates / misdemeanor/ Governor Perry / Texas legislature/ Source: House Bill 2357 (Texas Legislature, 6/17/2011)

March 1998. IN ITS PUBLICATION "Realistic Speed Zoning: Why and How", THE AMERICAN AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION (AAA) ADVISES ABOUT WIDELY HELD MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT SPEED LIMITS AND POSTED SPEED LIMIT SIGNS. Among the misconceptions are the following: speed limit signs will slow the speed of traffic, will decrease the accident rate, and increase safety; and raising the speed limit will cause an increase in the speed of traffic. The 13-page manual, offered by the Automobile Club of Southern California Public Affairs, provides useful information on realistic speed zoning (a traffic engineering tool): what it can accomplish, what it cannot do, and how to establish realistic speed zoning. March 1, 1998 —AAA/American Automobile Association/ Automobile Club of Southern California / Public Affairs / speed zoning / traffic engineering /Source: Manual "Realistic Speed Zoning: Why and How" by Automobile Club of Southern California Public Affairs, March, 1998.

March 14, 2012. A CHICAGO, ILLINOIS STUDY OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ITS RED-LIGHT CAMERA PROGRAM IN THE CITY IS FOUND TO BE FLAWED Mayor Rahm Immanuel's support and selling point for his current speed camera plan is based on a faulty study of the red-light camera program's effectiveness in Chicago. Despite repeated requests by reporters from the Chicago Tribune, for the study itself, reporters were unable to verify the results of the study since the administration refused to provide any of the research statistics used for the study, claiming they were confidential. Finally, the reporters were able to talk with the administration's number expert, Scott Kubly, who confirmed that the study was based on an informal analysis of traffic statistics, which do not support the conclusions reached. The Tribune did its own analysis and came to a different and less dramatic conclusion. March 14, 2012-- Photo Enforcement / Traffic Camera Enforcement / Red Light Camera / Automated Enforcement / Photo Ticket / Speed Camera / Bob Secter / David Kidwell/Alex Bordens / Source: News Article: Chicago Tribune

JANUARY 24, 2012. RESULTS OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI RED LIGHT CAMERA STUDY SHOW INCREASE IN ACCIDENTS WITH PHOTO ENFORCEMENT. The Kansas City Police Department study reached conclusions consistent with independent research on red-light camera effectiveness. The report indicated the overall number of accidents increased 12 percent since cameras were installed. Counting only the camera-monitored lanes, the increase in collisions was 29 percent. Rear end accidents increased 17 percent. Right-angle accidents decreased by 4 percent. Because the red-light ticket revenue was almost $20 million over the two year period, the Kansas City Police Commission ordered the police department to rewrite the report under the supervision of ATS (Red light camera vendor American Traffic Solutions ) January 24, 2012. ATS / red-light camera / traffic ticket study / American Traffic Solutions / right-angle accidents / Source: Kansas City, Missouri Police Department. Link to document: Study of Red Light Cameras in Kansas City, MO (Kansas City, Missouri Police Department, 1/24/2012)

JANUARY 3, 2012. LAS CRUCES, NEW MEXICO STUDY SHOWS NO BENEFIT FROM RED-LIGHT CAMERA PROGRAM. Overall, the study found a decrease in accidents at two red-light camera intersections, an increase at one and no change at the fourth. Compared to the control intersections where there were also three with decreases, two with increases and one without any change, none of the differences at red light camera intersections were large enough to carry definitive scientific weight. JANUARY 3, 2012. Red-light camera/Professor Hansuk Sohn / Professor Paola Bandini / New Mexico State University / Las Cruces / New Mexico / Source: Assessment of Impact of City of Las Cruces Safe Traffic Operations Program (New Mexico State University, 1/3/2012) Link to Source: Assessment of Impact of City of Las Cruces Safe Traffic Operations Program (New Mexico State University, 1/3/2012)

February, 2011. INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY (IIHS) STUDY IS FLAWED BY SLOPPY, INCONSISTENT METHODS FAVORING THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY IIHS SERVES The Florida Public Health Review, published January 25, 2012, noted in a review of the IIHS study by Barbara Langland-Orban, PhD, Etienne E. Pracht, PhD, and John T. Large, PhD of the University of South Florida, that the IIHS report ignored engineering variables that could have explained increases or decreases in accidents reported from year to year. Further, variables, such as "land area" and "persons per square mile", which have no scientific correlation to motor vehicle crashes, created additional difficulties in the IIHS report. The use of dissimilar cities chosen to represent the camera enforcement cities and the camera-free cities skewed the results of the study to favor the use of camera enforcement. Further, the IIHS report failed to disclose results that showed negative values for the use of red light camera since Insurance companies pass higher losses on to drivers in the form of higher insurance premiums. January 25, 2012- Barbara Langland-Orban, PhD / Etienne E. Pracht, PhD / John T. Large, PhD / IIHS, Photo Enforcement / Traffic Camera Enforcement / Red Light Camera / Automated Enforcement / Photo Ticket / Source: Florida Public Health Review, 2012; 9, 1-8

December 20, 2011. DENVER,COLORADO AUDITOR CRITICIZES DENVER PHOTO TICKETING PROGRAM. City auditor Dennis J. Gallagher says the Denver Police Department has not demonstrated that the program has a positive impact on safety. With the red-light camera program, certain types of accidents decreased at camera intersections, but the audit noted that the city could not accurately credit the improvement to red-light cameras. "At three of the four intersections with red light cameras, the number of right angle accidents was decreasing before the red light cameras were installed," the report indicated. The full safety impact is impossible to gauge because the duration of the yellow lights was increased, signal heads were enlarged, and countdown timers were added at the intersections where cameras were installed. The engineering changes helped make the intersection safer, but also decreased the number of violations issued. To increase the number of tickets, ACS and Denver began ticketing people who stopped at red lights -- but their car protruded a few inches beyond the stop bar. The audit indicates that "these extra picky violations are the sole reason Denver's red- light cameras are profitable. " In its response to the report, Denver police said it was impossible to conduct a study that would satisfy the auditor's concerns. The most the department would do would be to have ACS (Affiliated Computer Services, a division of Xerox) conduct a study to justify continuing the ACS program by June 30, 2013. December 20, 2011—red-light camera / Affiliated Computer Services (ACS) / Denver Police Department / Dennis J. Gallagher / audit / Source: Denver Photo Enforcement Program (Denver, Colorado City Auditor, 12/15/2011)

THE JUNE, 2007 VIRGINIA TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH COUNCIL REPORT: The Impact of Red Light Cameras (Photo-Red Enforcement) on Crashes in Virginia, CONCLUDES THE WIDESPREAD USE OF RED-LIGHT CAMERAS IS UNFEASIBLE. Despite the fact that red light running kills more than 800 people per year and injures 200,000 more, the Research Council's recommendations were to stop the widespread use of photo ticketing. The results of the study show that neither widespread use of the cameras nor abolition of the cameras can be justified. The report recommends, therefore, that the decision to install a red light camera be made on an intersection-by intersection basis. In addition, it is recommended that a controlled experiment be conducted to examine further the impact of red light programs on safety and to determine how an increase in rear-end crashes can be avoided at specific intersection June, 2007-- Nicholas J. Garber, Ph.D., P.E. / John S. Miller, Ph.D., P.E. / R. Elizabeth Abel / Saeed Eslamolchi/ Santhosh K. Korukonda / Photo Enforcement / Traffic Camera Enforcement / Red Light Camera / Automated Enforcement / Photo Ticket / Source: Virginia Transportation Research Council, June, 2007

JULY 29, 2003 RESEARCH STUDY, Effect of Yellow Interval Timing on Red-Light Violation Frequency at Urban Intersections, CONDUCTED BY THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE CONCLUDES INCREASING THE YELLOW LIGHT INTERVAL DURATION BY 0.5 TO 1.5 SECONDS IS AN EFFECTIVE ENGINEERING COUNTERMEASURE TO RED-LIGHT RUNNING. The before-after study concluded that increasing the yellow light interval decreased red-light running by at least 50 percent. Further, the countermeasure's returns in reduced red-light running are favorable relative to the cost of retiming the lights. JULY 29, 2003—James A. Bonneson P. E. / Karl H. Zimmerman / Texas Transportation Institute / Transportation Research Board / Source: Texas Transportation Institute at Texas A & M University, College Station, TX

THE 2003 FLORIDA RED LIGHT CAMERA STUDY: Red Light Running Cameras: Would Crashes, Injuries and Automobile Insurance Rates Increase If They Are Used in Florida? CONCLUDES CAMERAS ACTUALLY INCREASE CRASHES AND INJURIES AND PROPOSED A NUMBER OF COUNTERMEASURES TO REDUCE RED LIGHT RUNNING. A number of countermeasures would help reduce red light running offences and increase public safety. The following engineering countermeasures are recommended in the 2003 FHWA/NHTSA Study: • Improve traffic signal head visibility by increasing size or adding signal heads where one traffic signal head is used for multiple lanes and may be blocked from view. • Address east-west roads where sun angles silhouette the traffic sign head and add back plates to enhance visibility. • Set appropriate yellow light time intervals that allow vehicles to clear the intersection or safely stop that is consistent with the speed limit, road grade and intersection width. • Add a brief all-red light clearance interval to allow traffic in the intersection to clear prior to releasing cross traffic. • Add intersection traffic warning signs or advanced yellow flashing lights or reduce the approach speed to the intersection. • Coordinate traffic light signals to optimize traffic flow, eliminating interruptions. • Remove on-site parking near intersections to increase visibility of pedestrians and cross traffic. • Repair malfunctioning traffic lights and avoid unnecessarily long signal cycle timings. March 7, 2008: Barbara Langland-Orban, PhD / Etienne E. Pracht, PhD /John T. Large, PhD / IIHS / Photo Enforcement / Traffic Camera Enforcement / Red Light Camera / Automated Enforcement / Photo Ticket / Source: Florida Public Health Review, 2008; 5, 1-7