Cameras reduce red-light running, raise city funds

Atlanta put cameras at the most dangerous intersections in 2006 to cut down on crashes.

The Red Light Camera Enforcement Program began at six intersections, and the city added cameras at two more the next year.

The cameras snap photos of motorists who run red lights, and Municipal Court mails them a letter that includes the evidence for the fine: photos of the person’s car in the intersection after the light has turned red. The fine is $70, but judges have discretion to increase or lower that.

Officials in the Department of Public Works, which runs the program, say the cameras have cut down on avoidable wrecks, i.e., wrecks not caused by such things as rain or rear-ending.

THE BOTTOM LINE

It costs about $1 million a year to pay for the red-light-camera program, and this is the first year revenue is on pace to eclipse costs. Because cities cannot use red-light cameras as a moneymaker, any profit must be used for public safety projects. Atlanta has not decided what to do with any extra revenue. Public works officials say the amount of money actually collected is subject to variables, such as motorists not paying tickets and judges lowering or raising the amount of the fine.

Revenue

2006: $1,119,712

2007: $934,074

2008: $780,948 (through June 30)

THE NUMBERS

Atlanta is on track to double the number of red-light traffic citations doled out this year, compared with each of the first two years of the program.

Atlanta’s red-light-camera traffic citations

2006: 29,901

2007: 28,852

2008: 28,370 (through June)

TAKE MY MONEY

Public works officials say that most people don’t fight the red-light-camera tickets. According to 2007 numbers, 88 percent paid their fines.

SAFER INTERSECTIONS?

Public works officials say cameras reduced “correctable accidents” by 24 percent. There were 443 such accidents in 2007 at the six intersections that first got cameras, compared with 582 in 2004, the year before the program was created.

BIG-TICKET CAMERA

There is one intersection that has racked up far more violations than the rest: Freedom Parkway and Boulevard. Since cameras were activated there in late December 2007, 16,876 motorists had been ticketed through June —- more than half the total number of red-light camera tickets issued in 2006 or 2007.

 WALTER CUMMING  / Staff
RED-LIGHT CAMERA ENFORCEMENT 
1. West Paces Ferry Road and Northside Parkway 
2. Peachtree Road and Lenox Road 
3. Buford Highway and Lenox Road 
4. Piedmont Road and Monroe Drive 
5. Spring Street and North Avenue 
6. Courtland Avenue and Baker Street 
7. Freedom Parkway and Boulevard 
8. Cleveland Avenue and Metropolitan Parkway 

Maps show numbered locations of red-light cameras. Inset map shows areas of detail relative to metro Atlanta.