The National Campaign to Stop Red Light Running

Groups Announce Support for Statewide Photo Red Bill Introduced in VA House
Traffic Safety Bill Provides Safeguards and Addresses Lawmakers Concerns

Richmond, VA (December 12, 2003) — The National Campaign to Stop Red Light Running, Drive Smart Virginia, the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police, AAA Tidewater, the National Association of Independent Insurers, the Virginia Emergency Nurses Association, Erie Insurance Company, the Virginia Municipal League, Nationwide Insurance and the Physicians' Injury Reduction Coalition announced today their support for a new photo red bill that has been introduced in the Virginia Assembly for consideration next year. The bill, introduced by Del. Michèle McQuigg (R-51), enables the use of red light cameras in any localities across the Commonwealth that choose to use them. The bill, which contains numerous safeguards to ensure proper use of the technology, has been referred to the Committee on Transportation.

“We applaud the leadership of Del. McQuigg and hope the Committee, the House of Delegates and the General Assembly will move swiftly to enact this legislation,” said Leslie Blakey, executive director of the National Campaign to Stop Red Light Running. “Red light running is a serious offense that often carries tragic consequences. This bill is tightly constructed to provide the safety benefits of this technology without the pitfalls often cited by critics.”

The proposed legislation specifically addresses opponents’ often cited concerns about photo enforcement programs. Provisions of the bill include:

A public hearing in each locality on proposed use of cameras to ensure strong community support, passage of an ordinance, and a public awareness campaign including highly visible signs at photo red intersections before and after implementation.
A comprehensive review of proposed intersections, which examines crash and violation rates and includes an engineering safety analysis that addresses signal timing and other issues.
Only vehicles that enter an intersection after the light has turned red are photographed, and the photo is taken of the license plate, NOT the driver.
Yellow light timing based on the recommended methodology of the Institute of Transportation Engineers, with a minimum three-tenths of a second grace period between the time the signal turns red and the first violation is recorded.
Annual evaluations of each program are to be made available to the public.

Red light cameras have had a tremendous deterrent effect on red light running in every U.S. community where they have been tried and studied. Fairfax, VA demonstrated a 44% drop in red light violations after one year of camera enforcement. Yet, only Fairfax and a handful of other Virginia localities have been allowed by the General Assembly to operate photo red programs while others have called for this practical law enforcement tool and been denied repeatedly.

“Red light camera technology is a low-cost, common sense way to help prevent crashes that result from red light violations,” said Chief Dennis Mook of the Newport News Police Department, who has attempted to introduce red light cameras into his jurisdiction several times. “Enactment of this bill will allow localities such as mine the opportunity to use a lifesaving technology that will translate into fewer crashes, with more injuries prevented and lives saved.”

Nationally red light running deaths are increasing three times faster than any other type of roadway fatality and crashes increased 19 percent between 1992 and 1998. Red light running is one of the most frequent and frequently unpunished traffic offenses, occurring as often as once every five minutes in some jurisdictions. In Virginia during 2002, 36,840 citations were recorded for drivers who disregarded traffic signals. Additionally, there were 5,080 crashes caused by these drivers, resulting in 30 fatalities and 3,863 injuries, many of them serious. In Fairfax County alone, 56,479 violations were detected with 29,134 citations recorded.

“Last year red light running became more than just a statistic to me when my wife was killed by a red light runner,” stated Mike Majors of Chantilly. “Every day I am reminded that one person considered their time more valuable than my wife’s life. Red light runners need to realize that their actions could have very real and deadly consequences.”