Red Light Cameras

In the early 1990s, the Howard County Police Department recognized that there was a problem in our communities. Our citizens were being injured and sometimes killed in intersection crashes. We decided to utilize a problem oriented policing approach to address the issue.

Our scan of crash data revealed several underlying crash causes. In partnership with traffic engineers and community members, we analyzed these crashes and the environment in which we operated. While working on long term research we responded with new strategies. Collectively, we assessed the impact of our efforts.

We ultimately decided to take the controversial step of enforcing red light violations by using automated camera systems. We established a unique and successful public-private partnership to effect automated enforcement.

We reached out to other police operations and now operate the only regional automated enforcement center, where 15 police agencies work together.

The bottom line is this - it is working. The number of crashes has fallen as the number of people running red lights has dropped.

Red Light Running Countermeasures:
A History

The National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration estimates that drivers who run red lights are responsible for an estimated 92,000 vehicle crashes each year. About 950 of these involve fatalities, and the numbers are rising. Experience has shown that some of the most serious personal injuries occurring in motor vehicle collisions occur as the result of red light violations. The force of a side impact collision, directly into the passenger compartment, greatly increases the likelihood of serious personal injury. This type of collision is the type most likely to result in personal injury.

In 1993, in response to growing public concern about red light running, the Howard County Police Department (HCPD) began to explore ways to reduce this hazard through more effective enforcement. At the time, HCPD was responsible for providing full law enforcement services in an area of over 251 square miles, home to more than 227,000 residents.

Historically, the typical response to citizen traffic and red light complaints was to increase enforcement at specific problem areas, or assign traffic officers to work enforcement at specified locations on a rotating basis.

An officer stopped at an intersection that observes a red light violation must make a choice. The officer can follow the violator into the intersection, and cause a hazardous situation, or he or she can let the violation pass without taking enforcement action. To address this issue in 1993, Howard County Police began using team enforcement to combat red light running. An officer would observe the violation from a stationary position, and radio the relevant information to officers who were in a position to safely stop the violators. Using this method, the Department issued 1,412 citations for red light violations in one year. It quickly became apparent, however, that team enforcement was cost prohibitive. A single three (3) hour enforcement effort can cost more than $360.00 for personnel alone, which breaks down to an average cost of $25.40 for every red light violation. These costs, coupled with the fact that the Department=s experience indicated that only frequently repeated enforcement efforts of this type have a positive impact on reducing the number of violations, led the Department to seek alternatives.

Red Light Camera Pilot Test

Working with the Department of Public Works, the police department applied for and received a grant from the Federal Highway Administration to conduct a state of the art survey of automated traffic signal camera systems. This technology has been used for more than 40 years in other countries, but was virtually unheard of in most areas of the United States. High collision intersections within Howard County were evaluated as potential test sites. The two sites which were selected were those where the high collision rate could be attributed to low compliance with the automatic signal.

At each of these intersections, the traffic signal was connected to two sensors buried in the roadway, and to a 35mm camera in a weatherproof reinforced housing, mounted on a pole 12 feet high. The camera became active only after about 0.5 seconds after the signal turned red. The two sensors were used to determine a vehicle=s speed using a simple time/distance calculation. If the vehicle was traveling so fast that it was not likely going to stop, the camera would automatically photograph the rear of the vehicle. The photograph would include the license plate, and a view of the signal in red phase. A second photograph would be taken six tenths of a second later to document the speed at which the vehicle was traveling, and showed it had entered the intersection while the light was red. A data bar was also incorporated into the images which documented the time, date and location of the incident, how long the signal had been yellow prior to turning red, and how long the signal had been red when the photographs were taken. All photographs were then reviewed by a police department employee to determine if a violation had occurred. Howard County tested these cameras and collected base line violation data at the two sites for several months prior to going public with the program.

Initiating the Program

The Department believed, based on the data collected during the test phase, that a “violator funded” red light enforcement program using cameras at appropriate controlled intersections would benefit the citizens of Maryland. Legislation was drafted and presented to the Maryland State Legislature which would allow interested jurisdictions to utilize cameras to supplement existing efforts to enforce red light laws, with administrative fines levied against violators in a manner similar to the procedure followed for parking violations (with no points added to the driver=s record). It was anticipated that the administrative fines would offset the high cost of the program.

The Department recognized that the proposed legislation would be controversial. However, after an extensive education process involving law enforcement leaders, the community, and Maryland State legislators, several State Senators and Delegates decided to sponsor the legislation. During the legislative development, several concerns were raised:

• Owner Liability: Should the driver of the vehicle be held liable for the offense instead of the vehicle=s owner? The Department took the position that holding the owner responsible was fair and reasonable, as the penalty under the proposed legislation consisted only of a fine, with no points attached, an administrative action similar to the issuance of parking tickets.
  
  
• Privacy Issues: The Department pointed out that it was common practice to use camera technology for traffic management and crime reduction, including the use of security cameras at automated teller machines, large stores and shopping centers and banks. Unlike these cameras, in fact, the red light cameras do not passively photograph everyone who passes before them, only those vehicles committing a violation.
  
  
• Existing Technology: There was concern expressed that the proposal was untested. In addition to the testing data Howard County had gathered, there was ample evidence to indicate that this type of system was accurate and effective. The proposed legislation would allow Maryland jurisdictions to utilize technology which had been used in other countries for over forty (40) years. In Victoria, Australia a similar program had resulted in a 32% reduction in injuries.

Legislative Success

After many meetings and much deliberation, a large number of organizations decided to support the legislation. The Maryland Chiefs of Police Association became avid supporters, and helped to advise legislators about related issues. There were many allies from the traffic engineering and highway safety fields, as well as many community leaders who showed their support. After much debate, the final version of the bill was passed on April 7, 1997, and became effective October 1, 1997. Multiple State and County agencies collaborated to initiate enforcement operations under the new law. Partnerships were established, legal agreements signed, policies developed and a facility was built. The first red light camera citations were issued in February, 1998.

Public Outreach

Recognizing that the introduction of the red light camera program would have a significant impact on the public, we launched an intensive public awareness campaign, beginning with the distribution of flyers by Howard County Patrol and Auxiliary officer. Flyers were also made available to citizens at County Recreation and Parks facilities. We began airing a thirty second public service announcement on the County's cable station and on Comcast Cable of Howard County.

Other initiatives included:

• Advertisements in the Baltimore Sun and the Columbia Flyer
  
• Flyers distributed via Howard County water bills
  
• Information presented on the Internet Home page for Howard County Government
  
• Numerous global e-mail references
  
• A column by the County Executive in the Village News mentioned the red light program, as well as in the County Executive's State of the County Address
  
• The Howard County Board of Education distributed take-home handouts by county school children
  
• Handouts distributed at libraries, emission centers, MVA, fire stations, etc.
  
• Flyers distributed to community associations and village centers direct mail
  
• Numerous business publications affiliated with the County's Public Information Office included red light camera information
  
• Flyers were distributed by the Chamber of Commerce, Howard County General Hospital, Howard Community College
  
• Kickoff tour
  
• News reports by television stations and newspapers
  
• The red light program was featured during Howard County Government Day
  
• The program was featured during the Maryland Association of Counties Conference
  
• Report in JAF MATE world traffic affairs magazine
  Traffic Management and Safety Magazine featured an article about the program
  
• Report in Government Computer News Weekly

Agency Partnerships

The Howard County Police Department did not establish this program alone. Relationships had to be formed with multiple agencies. Legal agreements between state and county agencies were executed. New procedures were instituted by multiple agencies to support the Howard County Police effort. Our government partners included:

Results

Automated enforcement, as one part of a comprehensive effort, has resulted in a 21% to 44% decline in motor vehicle accidents, and a 70% reduction in red light violations at monitored locations.

Regional Cooperation

The Howard County Police reached out to other Maryland agencies to initiate a regional effort. Working together had many potential benefits:

• Cost savings based on economy of scale
• No need for duplicate facilities
• More collective experience
• Shorter, less-expensive procurement process

Establishing a regional operation presented multiple challenges as well:

• Different procurement laws in each jurisdiction
  
• Different political processes in each jurisdiction
• Varying abilities to fund operations or supply personnel
• Varying distances from the Howard County Center
• Different engineers, attorneys, and budget personnel with whom relationships must be formed

In this situation, the benefits have outweighed the challenges. To date, 15 agencies work collectively with Howard County in the Regional Automated Enforcement Center. Every agency has benefited from this arrangement by realizing a reduction in red light running in their jurisdictions.