Feb 10 2010
Gloucester Township has decided to apply to the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) for permission to install life-saving intersection cameras in its community to improve road safety for residents. The Township selected American Traffic Solutions, Inc. (ATS) to administer the program.
More than 500 communities in the United States are now using cameras to deter red-light running and the fatalities, injuries and property damage that result from red-light runners. The cameras are able to monitor intersections and accident-prone areas 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This allows police officers to deal with other crimes, which makes the entire community safer. The programs cost taxpayers nothing. They are totally funded by fines paid by violators.
Gloucester Township is located about eight miles from Philadelphia, where ATS has operated an intersection safety camera program since 1994. Philadelphia’s program consists of 70 cameras and has resulted in a reduction of red-light running at some intersections of up to 96 percent. ATS’ intersection safety program in New York City has resulted in a 73 percent reduction in red-light runners.
“The Gloucester Township Police Department is looking forward to adding this additional level of road safety to our community,” said Chief Edward Smith, Gloucester Township Police. “Our first step will be to work with ATS to identify the most dangerous intersections, in terms of red-light runners. We’ll analyze where in our 24-square-mile community the problem is the most acute and that’s where we’ll recommend the cameras be installed. We want to make it clear to local residents and visitors alike that running red lights in Gloucester Township is just not going to be tolerated.”
Chief Smith explained that police officers will be very involved in the new program. A police officer will review and approve all potential violations captured by the cameras before ATS is given permission to mail the tickets to offenders. The cameras will be monitored to ensure their accuracy. The timing of the yellow lights will remain as they are now, since those are calibrated to adhere to national engineering standards and state guidelines.
“Red-light runners kill hundreds of people, injure more than 100,000 and cause millions in property damage each year in the United States,” said James Tuton, ATS’ president and CEO. “Our experience nationally with intersection safety cameras is that they modify driver behavior dramatically. Fewer people are killed and injured because motorists know there will be financial consequences if they run red lights. After these programs are in operation for a period of time, people run fewer red lights and they actually speed less.”
Cameras will capture a photograph of a vehicle as it runs the red light. The violation photographs will be reviewed by ATS technicians and then by the local police department for their final review and authorization. Citations are issued to the owner of the offending vehicles. The registered owner has the option to pay the $85 fine or appeal the citation in court. These citations do not result in any points on the drivers’ records.
In addition to Gloucester Township, other New Jersey communities that have selected ATS include Brick Township (the first community in the state to use ATS life-saving technology), Deptford, East Brunswick, Glassboro, Linden, Monroe Township, Wayne Township, Woodbridge and Union City.