Red Light Cameras in the City of Albany

Lessons from Elsewhere and Recommendations

Albany Common Council
Public Safety Committee
September 23, 2014








By Alec Slatky, Legislative Analyst
Legislative Committee Chair: John A. Corlett
1415 Kellum Place, Garden City, NY 11530
Tel: 516-873-2266 / Email: aslatky@aaany.com



Table of Contents

Overview ......................................................................................................................................1
Academic Research .......................................................................................................................2
Results from New York State ........................................................................................................2
Controversies ................................................................................................................................3
AAA New York States Position ...................................................................................................3
Recommendations for Public Officials Summary .......................................................................4
Appendix A Sources ..................................................................................................................5


1

Overview

On July 22, 2014, the City of Albany received State authorization to install traffic signal photo-monitoring
devices (otherwise known as red light cameras) at up to 20 intersections as part of a pilot program expiring
on August 21, 2019. AAA New York State has prepared this document in order to assist City officials and
Councilmembers who will decide whether and how to implement such a program.
In New York State, five municipalities currently operate red light cameras: New York City, Nassau
County, Suffolk County, Yonkers, and Rochester. These programs were all reauthorized by the state
legislature and the Governor in the previous legislative session, and provide reasons for both optimism and
caution regarding red light cameras.
Red light running is dangerous behavior that merits a significant deterrent. Consequently, AAA supports
properly administered red light camera programs that are transparent, fair, thorough, and effective. Some
New York municipalities have reported a drop in injuries and crashes at red light camera intersections.
Unfortunately, the lack of transparency surrounding many programs fuels public suspicion that automated
enforcement is being used primarily for revenue generation.
Albany has an opportunity to learn from the mistakes of others and act to avoid these errors. In particular,
Albany can be the first municipality in the state to:
Rededicate all revenue from automated enforcement into traffic safety measures
Analyze control intersections in the state-mandated report
Disclose the report on the Citys website
Institute a statute of limitations on red light camera violations
Create a photo enforcement oversight committee
Additionally, Albany should abide by additional policies that enhance traffic safety:
Conduct an extensive education campaign before operating red light cameras
Choose intersections with a history of side-impact crashes
Consider engineering and educational measures before installing a red light camera
Place warning signs at selected entrances to the City and in advance of each camera intersection
Remove cameras from intersections where safety has not improved or has worsened
Lastly, Albany can act to safeguard the rights of drivers:
Mandate the inclusion of video footage in any citation
Allow pleas of not-guilty by mail
Ensure hearings are adversarial and in front of an impartial judge
Provide reasonable enforcement tolerances so that flagrant, not nominal, infractions are targeted
This document will summarize New York States experience with red light cameras, results of academic
studies, and controversies from around the country. It will conclude with an extensive though not
necessarily exhaustive list of recommendations.

2

Academic Research

Red light running is a major problem throughout New York State the nation. In the United States, 683
fatalities and 133,000 injuries occurred from red light running in 2012.
1
. To combat this epidemic, federal
guidelines recommend a combination of engineering, education, and enforcement. Over 500 municipalities
now include red light camera programs in their enforcement toolbox.
2

Much of the evidence suggests that red light cameras increase safety. Studies from the IIHS,
3
Arizona,
4

Texas,
5
Oxnard (CA),
6
and USA/Singapore/Australia
7
assert as much. A Federal Highway Administration
review states that cameras decreased right-angle crashes and increased rear end onesThere was indeed a
modest aggregate crash cost benefit of [red light camera] systems.
8

Studies from Seattle,
9
Florida,
10
and the National Cooperative Highway Research Program
11
believe there
are positive but not conclusive signs. A Virginia report states that cameras are associated with an increase
in rear-end crashes and a decrease in red light running crashesthere is significant variation by
intersection and by jurisdictionThese results cannot be used to justify the widespread installation of
cameras because they are not universally effective. These results also cannot be used to justify the abolition
of cameras, as they have had a positive impact at some intersections and in some jurisdictions.
12

Analyses from Winnipeg,
13
Greensboro (NC),
14
Florida,
15
and Louisiana
16
argue that red light cameras do
not increase safety. The latter states that despite reducing the number of cars entering this intersection
during a red light, [red light cameras] do not seem to prevent traffic collisions at this monitored
intersection. Alternative means of injury prevention must be investigated.
17

Results from New York State
Red light camera programs across New York have been operated with varying degrees of effectiveness:
NYC Nassau Suffolk Yonkers Rochester
Violations 583,778
18
335,929
19
208,648
20
95,123
21
90,000
22

Revenue $35.7 million
23
$26.1 million
24
$9.8 million
25
$4.8 million
26
$2.5 million
27

% to vendor 37%
28
30%
29
54%
30
38%
31
40%
32

Overall Crashes Not in report -29%
33
-2%
34
+8%
35
-38%
36

Side-impact Not in report -26%
37
-28%
38
-23%
39
-35%
40

Rear-end Not in report -39%
41
+20%
42
+106%
43
-38%
44

Injuries -33%
45
-27%
46
-11%
47
+46%
48
-81%
49


The programs also had varying degrees of transparency and fairness. Though it is not perfect, Nassau
Countys red light camera program has been the exemplar of the programs in New York State. Nassau was
transparent with regard to violation review, adjudication, and evaluation.
Suffolk Countys program was slightly less transparent and less effective than Nassaus. County
engineering officials made themselves accessible, but AAA New York State was forced to FOIL the state-
mandated report and has yet to obtain the most recent copy, which was already one year late.
New York City was the first municipality to operate red light cameras in the nation, but has been
insufficiently transparent and failed to follow state reporting requirements by omitting a list of locations
3

from its annual report. Disappointingly, only one year of data has been released per camera, though some
cameras have up to twenty years of statistics available.
Rochesters program shows signs of promise, but has only released the most recent set of data to the media,
not AAA New York State. Its initial report failed to follow state reporting requirements by omitting
violation, financial, and adjudication statistics.
Yonkers was not transparent with its data, and only released its state-mandated 2013 report after an AAA
New York State assessment criticized its transparency. In previous reports, it has used misleading graphs,
and continues to cite a drop in violations as evidence of the programs success, despite AAAs protests that
injuries have actually increased and the jury is unequivocally still out.
Controversies
Red light camera skeptics can point to numerous controversies that indicate unethical operation.
In Rochester, one intersection was proven to have insufficient amber signals that unjustly increased
the number of violations;
50
similar allegations have surfaced across the country.
51

In Clermont, Florida, 88% of violations were for right turns on red, not especially dangerous
behavior.
52

In Chicago, a newspaper investigation into the red light camera data unearthed some unexplained
spikes in tickets,
53
an issue that has yet to be resolved.
A recent audit by the Inspector General of the District of Columbia criticized the lack of due
process in automated enforcement cases.
54

The Keep Florida Roads Safe organization and the Traffic Safety Coalition both
surreptitiously funded by red light camera vendors have lobbied to prohibit a referendum on red
light cameras in Brooksville (FL)
55
and to maintain red light cameras in New Jersey,
56
respectively.
Camera vendor Redflex was dropped from its contract with Chicago after evidence of bribery
came to light,
57
after which many Redflex executives resigned, and new allegations have tied the
company to bribery in 13 other states
58
- including California, based on a recent report.
59

AAA New York States Position
The preponderance of the evidence leads to four primary conclusions:
Red light cameras have the potential to reduce the deadliest crashes.
The success of red light cameras varies significantly across jurisdictions and intersections.
The most effective red light camera programs are accompanied by education (i.e. photo-enforced
signs) and engineering (i.e. lengthening amber times or using an all-red phase).
Red light cameras are susceptible to misuse and abuse.
These four conclusions form the basis of AAA New York States position on red light cameras:
AAA New York State supports red light camera programs that are preceded by and supplemented
with engineering measures, educational campaigns, and traditional law enforcement, provided that
the programs operate fairly, revenue is reinvested into safety measures, and a thorough evaluation of
such programs is regularly conducted and disclosed to the public.
4

Recommendations for Public Officials Summary
AAA New York State has prepared an extensive, but not necessarily exhaustive, list of recommendations
to municipalities considering red light camera programs. These recommendations can help guide Albany
officials toward a program that encompasses five important characteristics: thoroughness, transparency,
fairness, effectiveness, and integrity. The recommendations have been divided into five categories:
procurement, preparation, operation, adjudication, and evaluation. A summary is presented here:
Procurement
o Explore all options for vendor and contract structure
o Select red light camera intersections, not outsource responsibility to vendor representatives
o Pay the vendor a flat fee, not a per-citation fee
o Maintain control over camera operations
o Reinvest money into safety measures
Preparation
o Select sites with a history of frequent side-impact crashes and few rear-end crashes
o Grant the community input into intersection selection
o Ensure traffic signals comply with all applicable engineering principles and ITE standards
including minimum yellow light intervals
o Determine who has responsibility for the road
o Consider alternative engineering measures prior to camera installation
o Conduct a public education campaign about the dangers of red light running
Operation
o Have trained law enforcement officials approve violations
o Provide reasonable enforcement tolerances so that flagrant, not nominal, infractions are
targeted
o Protect privacy rights of drivers
o Calibrate the cameras in-person
o Place warning signs at selected City entrances and in advance of camera intersections
o Consider placing right on red after full stop warning signs at intersections where a large
proportion of violations are for turning right on red without coming to a complete stop
o Institute a warning period so that any hiccups can be sorted out
Adjudication
o Mandate the inclusion of video footage in any citation
o Allow pleas of not-guilty by mail
o Ensure hearings are adversarial and in front of an impartial judge
o Institute a statute of limitations on red light camera violations
Evaluation
o Include crash statistics for each intersection in the state-mandated annual report
o Analyze control intersections that do not have cameras
o Submit reports in a timely fashion
o Create a photo enforcement oversight committee
o Place reports on the City website
o Remove cameras from intersections where safety has not improved or has worsened
5

Appendix A Sources


1
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Red light running, http://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/t/red-light-
running/qanda.
2
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Red light running, (September 2014),
http://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/laws/automated_enforcement/enforcementtable?topicName=red-light-
running#tableData.
3
Hu, Wen, Anne T. McCartt, and Eric R. Teoh, "Effects of Red Light Camera Enforcement on Fatal Crashes in Large
US Cities," Journal of Safety Research 42 (2011): 277-282,
http://www.northfieldil.org/documents/police/iihs_study_2-1-11.pdf
4
Shin, Kangwon and Simon Washington, The Impact of Red Light Cameras (Automated Enforcement) on Safety in
Arizona, (June 2005): http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/25000/25000/25016/AZ550.pdf.
5
Bochner, Brian and Troy Walden, Effectiveness of Red Light Cameras, (July 2010):
http://tti.tamu.edu/group/stsc/files/2011/03/Red-light-camera-effectiveness-070610-w-Garland-correction.pdf.
6
Kyrychenko, Sergey Y. and Richard A. Retting, Reductions in Injury Crashes Associated with Red Light Camera
Enforcement in Oxnard, California, American Journal of Public Health (2002):
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1447335/.
7
Aeron-Thomas, A.S. and S. Hess, Red-light cameras for the prevention of road traffic crashes, The Cochrane
Database of Systematic Reviews (2005): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15846684.
8
Federal Highway Administration, Safety Evaluation of Red Light Cameras, (2005):
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/05049/05049.pdf.
9
City of Seattle, Traffic Safety Camera Pilot Project: Final Evaluation Report, December 2007,
http://www.seattle.gov/police/publications/special/Red_Light_Study_07.pdf.
10
Novey, Larry, The Florida Legislatures Office of Program Policy Analysis & Government Accountability,
Florida Red Light Camera Programs: A presentation to the Senate Transportation Committee, (2014):
http://www.oppaga.state.fl.us/monitordocs/Presentations/P14-12.pdf.
11
Impact of Red Light Camera Enforcement on Crash Experience, NCHRP Synthesis 310, Transportation Research
Board, Washington, DC, (2003): http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/nchrp/nchrp_syn_310.pdf
12
Garber, Nicholas J. et al., The Impact of Red Light Cameras (Photo-red enforcement on Crashes in Virginia,
(2007).
13
Brodbeck, Tom, Red light cam disgrace: crashes increase 18% at intersections where devices installed, Winnipeg
Sun (September 22, 2010).
14
Burkey, Mark and Kofi Obeng, A Detailed Investigation of Crash Risk Reduction Resulting from Red Light
Cameras in Small Urban Areas, Urban Transit Institute (2004).
15
Langland-Orban, Barbara, Etienne E. Pracht, and John T. Large, Red Light Running Cameras: Would Crashes,
Injuries, and Automobile Insurance Rates Increase If They Are Used in Florida? Florida Public Health Review 5
(2008): 1-7.
16
Wahl, G.M. et al., Red light cameras: do they change driver behavior and reduce accidents? Journal of Trauma
68 (2010): 515-518.
17
Ibid.
18
New York City Department of Transportation, New York City Red Light Camera Program: Program Review
1994-2013, 2014 Report, page 3-b.
19
Nassau County Traffic Safety Board, Nassau County Red Light Camera Program 2012 Review Report, page 3.
20
Schwartz, David, 2012 red-light rickets pull in 24% less in Suffolk, Newsday (Apr. 27, 2014).
21
City of Yonkers, City of Yonkers Red Light Camera Program N.Y.S. Annual Report for 2014.
22
Sharp, Brian, Report: crashes down at red light crossings, Democrat and Chronicle (August 22, 2014):
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2014/08/21/report-crashes-red-light-camera-crossings/14415621/.
23
New York City Department of Transportation, New York City Red Light Camera Program: Program Review
1994-2012, 2013 Report, page 15; and New York City Department of Transportation, New York City Red Light
Camera Program: Program Review 1994-2013, 2014 Report, page 9.
24
Nassau County Traffic Safety Board, Nassau County Red Light Camera Program 2011 Review Report, page 3.
25
Schwartz, David, 2012 red-light rickets pull in 24% less in Suffolk, Newsday (Apr. 27, 2014).
26
City of Yonkers, City of Yonkers Red Light Camera Program N.Y.S. Annual Report for 2014.
6


27
Sharp, Brian, Report: crashes down at red light crossings, Democrat and Chronicle (August 22, 2014):
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2014/08/21/report-crashes-red-light-camera-crossings/14415621/.
28
New York City Department of Transportation, New York City Red Light Camera Program: Program Review
1994-2012, 2013 Report, page 15; and New York City Department of Transportation, New York City Red Light
Camera Program: Program Review 1994-2013, 2014 Report, page 9.
29
Nassau County Traffic Safety Board, Nassau County Red Light Camera Program 2012 Review Report, page 4.
30
Schwartz, David, 2012 red-light rickets pull in 24% less in Suffolk, Newsday (Apr. 27, 2014).
31
Wade, Christian, Yonkers rakes in big bucks from red light cameras, Newsday (Dec. 20, 2012): http://long-
island.newsday.com/search/yonkers-rakes-in-big-bucks-from-red-light-cameras-1.4361625.
32
Sharp, Brian, Watchdog report: where are the most red light tickets issued?, Democrat and Chronicle (Dec. 9,
2012): http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20121209/NEWS01/312090026/ and accompanying document
http://roc.democratandchronicle.com/assets/pdf/A2197910128.PDF.
33
Nassau County Traffic Safety Board, Nassau County Red Light Camera Program 2012 Review Report, page 15.
34
Schwartz, David, 2012 red-light rickets pull in 24% less in Suffolk, Newsday (Apr. 27, 2014).
35
City of Yonkers, City of Yonkers Red Light Camera Program N.Y.S. Annual Report for 2014.
36
Sharp, Brian, Report: crashes down at red light crossings, Democrat and Chronicle (August 22, 2014):
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2014/08/21/report-crashes-red-light-camera-crossings/14415621/.
37
Nassau County Traffic Safety Board, Nassau County Red Light Camera Program 2012 Review Report, page 15.
38
Schwartz, David, 2012 red-light rickets pull in 24% less in Suffolk, Newsday (Apr. 27, 2014).
39
City of Yonkers, City of Yonkers Red Light Camera Program N.Y.S. Annual Report for 2014.
40
Sharp, Brian, Report: crashes down at red light crossings, Democrat and Chronicle (August 22, 2014):
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2014/08/21/report-crashes-red-light-camera-crossings/14415621/.
41
Nassau County Traffic Safety Board, Nassau County Red Light Camera Program 2012 Review Report, page 15.
42
Schwartz, David, 2012 red-light rickets pull in 24% less in Suffolk, Newsday (Apr. 27, 2014).
43
City of Yonkers, City of Yonkers Red Light Camera Program N.Y.S. Annual Report for 2014.
44
Sharp, Brian, Report: crashes down at red light crossings, Democrat and Chronicle (August 22, 2014):
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2014/08/21/report-crashes-red-light-camera-crossings/14415621/.
45
New York City Department of Transportation, New York City Red Light Camera Program: Program Review
1994-2013, 2014 Report, page 6.
46
Nassau County Traffic Safety Board, Nassau County Red Light Camera Program 2012 Review Report, page 15.
47
Schwartz, David, 2012 red-light rickets pull in 24% less in Suffolk, Newsday (Apr. 27, 2014).
48
City of Yonkers, City of Yonkers Red Light Camera Program N.Y.S. Annual Report for 2014.
49
Sharp, Brian, Report: crashes down at red light crossings, Democrat and Chronicle (August 22, 2014):
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2014/08/21/report-crashes-red-light-camera-crossings/14415621/.
50
Sharp, Brian, City will halt, cancel red light tickets over software glitch, Democrat and Chronicle (Mar. 4, 2013).
51
Pransky, Noah, Floridas red-light camera intersections issuing more tickets after yellow light times quietly
reduced, WTSP (May 19, 2013): http://archive.wtsp.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=316418. Brockway, Mike,
Citys Yellow Lights Too Short, Judge Says Before Tossing Red-Light Tickets, DNAInfo Chicago (August 12,
2014): http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20140812/river-north/city-yellow-lights-too-short-judge-says-before-tossing-
red-light-tickets.
52
Fox, Greg, Majority of Clermont red-light-camera tickets issued to drivers turning right on red, WESH (Feb. 14,
2014): http://www.wesh.com/news/central-florida/orange-county/majority-of-clermont-redlightcamera-tickets-issued-
to-drivers-turning-right-on-red/24494012.
53
Kidwell, David and Alex Richards. Red light cameras tag thousands for undeserved tickets, Chicago Tribune
(July 18, 2014): http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-red-light-camera-ticket-spikes-met-20140717-
story.html#page=1.
54
Halsey III, Ashley, D.C. is the Wild West when enforcing tickets for traffic violators, audit finds, Washington
Post (September 8, 2014): http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/withering-inspector-general-
report-criticizes-dc-parking-and-traffic-ticketing/2014/09/08/da6ae324-3781-11e4-8601-97ba88884ffd_story.html.
55
Pransky, Noah, Red light camera industry fights citizen vote, USA Today (September 5, 2014):
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2014/09/05/ats-fights-brooksville-citizen-referendum-on-red-light-
cameras/15123557/.
56
The Auditor, N.J. Hospital Association pulls out of red light camera company-backed safety group, NJ.com
(September 15, 2014):
7


http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/09/nj_hospital_association_pulls_out_of_red_light_camera_company-
backed_group.html.
57
Kidwell, David, Red light camera firm admits it likely bribed Chicago official, Chicago Tribune (Mar. 2, 2013).
58
Frassinelli, Mike, Fired red-light camera executive: Company bribed officials in 13 states, including NJ, The Star
Ledger (Feb. 8, 2014).
59
Bizjak, Tony, Red-light camera contractor spent thousands on meals for Sacramento County and CHP
Employees, The Sacramento Bee (September 21, 2014): http://www.sacbee.com/2014/09/21/6723295/red-light-
camera-contractor-spent.html.