Red light cameras snare 241 in first week

By Kari Griffin

Baytown Sun

Published May 2, 2008

Citations replaced warnings to red light runners at Baker and Garth a week ago, and the number of violators caught on camera has reached 241.

Baytown Police Officer Randy Rhodes is overseeing the red light cameras process and said some officers spend a few hours each week reviewing the tapes of drivers cruising through the intersection after the light has already turned red.

“We currently have two officers who are in light duty status reviewing the violations,” Rhodes said. “Myself and a couple of other officers are also trained to do so when we do not have anyone on light duty who can review them.”

Since the warning period ended on April 24, officers have spent close to 14 combined hours reviewing the tapes and deciding which of the drivers on film actually are in violation of the law – an average of about an hour and a half per officer per day, Rhodes said.

After a 30-day warning period where about 500 warnings were sent out to red light runners, city officials said they hoped the presence of the camera, the signs alerting drivers to the cameras and the experience of getting a warning in the mail informing violators that the consequences for running red lights were about to get stiffer, would deter folks from accelerating when they should be pressing the break.

But so far, drivers are showing no signs of stopping, or even slowing down.

“Since April 24, officers have reviewed a total of 259 violations, with 241 being approved,” Rhodes said.

As of Thursday, American Traffic Solutions — which City Council approved a five-year contract with in August — confirmation to mail 133 of those was pending.

Rhodes doesn’t know exactly when the $75 tickets will reach their owners.

Capt. David Alford added that these numbers are not completely accurate because the citations are officially recorded about 24 to 48 hours after the act is committed because officers still have to view the tapes.

After an eight-hour analysis studying the number of violations at various spots around town, it was determined that the cameras would be placed at the following intersections: Highway 146 southbound at North Alexander Drive, West Baker Road eastbound at Decker Drive, Garth Road southbound at Highway 146, Garth Road northbound at Interstate 10, Garth Road southbound at Interstate 10, Garth Road southbound at West Baker Road, West Baker Road eastbound at Garth Road, West Baker Road westbound, Business 146 southbound at Wyoming Street, and North Alexander Drive northbound at Highway 146.

Aside from the three cameras at Baker Road, none of these intersections have working cameras yet because they are Texas Department of Transportation intersections and the city is still waiting on a permit from TxDOT approving an amendment to the maintenance agreement Council approved in January that places the responsibility for maintaining red-light camera equipment on the city instead of the state highway department, which maintains red lights on state roads.

Deputy City Manager Bob Leiper had said the city was expecting the TxDOT permit that will allow the start of construction to begin at the remaining intersections any day, but the city has still not received it.

Once the permit is received, construction will take place for about 14 days, followed by a 30-day warning period for the remaining intersections. The cameras are expected to go up around the same time, so there will only be one more 30-day warning period before all of citations begin going out for all of the red light camera intersections.

The $75 citations issued are a civil penalty and will not count as a moving violation or be reported to insurance companies.

The cameras were installed by ATS at no cost to the city, and the company collects 55 percent of the $75 fine for each citation, ($100 for drivers who do not pay the fine within 30 days and are required to pay a $25 late-fee). The city is reimbursed for program expenses by t he remaining 45 percent and any revenue left over after the ATS fee and city expenses are taken care of is divided between the State of Texas Trauma fund and the city.

As is required by state law, any extra funds received by the city will be used for traffic safety.

Operating costs include paying Baytown Police officers to view the tape from each camera to certify violations. There may also be associated legal costs.

Since the first batch of citations have not been mailed, no tickets have been challenged yet.

And Rhodes, like Baytown city officials, hopes the decreased chance of getting away with running a red light will have a positive effect on traffic safely.

“While many citizens will obey traffic laws out of civic and moral responsibility, even more will obey with the knowledge that they will be called to account for their illegal acts,” Rhodes said. “Many violate traffic signals if they are comfortable that there is not an officer there to observe them doing it. With a camera watching, the ‘comfort’ is reduced, so more will be inclined to follow the laws.”

Rhodes said that naturally, when drivers obey the laws, accidents are reduced, which makes everyone safer. And if citizens don’t stop at red, they can be assured that the camera will catch them. “It’s not going to miss much,” Rhodes said.