Red light Enforcement

1. Red light Enforcement Enforcement lights A simple tool for safer highways. Prepared by Lieutenant Steven Burch (ret.) Clearwater Police Department

2. Problem • Tampa Bay area is one of the worst locations in the nation for red light running. • In 2000, 114 motorists were killed in Florida due to red light running. • Red light running is one of several violations associated with aggressive driving.

3. Judicial Requirements • Officer must see the color of the light facing the violator. • Officer must be able to see the stop bar. • The officer must be able to testify to the violator’s vehicle and its distance from the stop bar at the time of the red signal.

4. Officers traveling the same direction of the violator, see violation and attempt to effect a stop. Officers monitoring a direction see a violation and attempt a stop. Required officers to use lights and siren to attempt to clear cross traffic. Dangerous to the officers and other motorists. Traditional Enforcement Method

5. Spotter officer sets up to monitor one specific direction of an intersection. “Chase” officers set up “downstream” of the intersection. Spotter calls out violators to chase car(s). Spotter must “hand off” the vehicle to the chase car. Spotter is limited by the number of chase cars. Generally can only monitor one direction at a time. Observer Method

6. Enforcement lights • Richardson Texas has 42 intersections equipped with enforcement lights. • Seven additional cities in Texas use this technology. • Inexpensive, non intrusive technology -no pictures. • All red light violators will face the same penalty.

7. White light fixture is wired into the red circuit of the signal head. Power to the red light sends power to the white enforcement light. Officers can tell signal color from different angles. Officers can safely conduct enforcement. Allows for opportunistic enforcement. Officers can monitor more then one direction at a time. Enforcement Lights

8. Installation Process • Joint assessment team of local law enforcement and engineers evaluate each location. • Locations must have a history of red light violations. • Locations must facilitate safe access to the violator and a clear view of the stop bar. • Clearwater currently uses Pelco SM-0287-42-SS Fixtures.

10. Guidelines • Officers must understand the concept and basic layout of each intersection. • For preplanned operations the officers should observe the intersection before conducting enforcement. • Check to ensure all red lights are coordinated with the proper enforcement light.

11. Guidelines Continued • Set up where both the enforcement light and stop bar for the direction monitored can be seen. • Monitor the enforcement light, when it activates, shift focus to the stop to detect a violator. • Safely effect the stop.

12. Guidelines Continued • After familiarization, an officer may conduct opportunistic enforcement when violations occur. • In these cases Officers should return to location to confirm the system is working in the proper order.

13. US 19 and SR 60

15. Results continued • FDOT has adopted the enforcement light concept as part of the five year safety plan. • In late 2002, two additional intersections were added. In 2003, traffic crashes in Clearwater dropped 6.7 percent. • In 2004, 8 additional intersections were added in Clearwater. Three more are slated for installation • Currently, there 100 intersections covered by enforcement lights in the Tampa Bay area.

16. Contact Information Chief Steven Burch Crystal River Police Department 123 NW Highway 19 Crystal River, Fl 34428 (352)795-4241 sburch@crystalriverfl.org