Red Light Enforcement Program

Installation: Redflex, Inc. examined the intersections in Redding and conducted traffi c analyses to determine which intersections are best suited for red light cameras (i.e. traffic volumes, likely number of red light violations). As previously stated, th e contract between Redflex, Inc. and t he City of Redding allowed photo enforcement equipment to be installed at up to 10 intersections. The intersection of Cypress Avenue and Bechelli Lane in the east/west direction was the first to receive the equipm ent. Next, Redflex, Inc. installed equipment at the inte rsection of Shasta Stre et and Market Street and in 2008, at Cypress Avenue and Churn Creek Road. The intersection of Market Street and Lake Boulevard was the last to receive the red light photo enforcement equipment.

Costs: While the photo enforcement program cannot apprehend dangerous drivers as well as could an officer stationed at an intersection, the 24/7 c overage ability of the red light program represents a phenomenal law enforcement tool at very little, if any, cost to the law-abiding citizens of the city. The contract between Redflex, Inc. and the City of Redding states, “Customer shall be obligated to pay Redflex a fixed fee of $5,500 per month for each Designated Intersection Approach (“Fixed Fee”) for one to two lanes, and $6,000 for three or four la nes as full remuneration for performing all of the services contemplated in this Agreement.” The City of Redding is never obligated to pay Redflex, Inc. more than the actual cash received by the City. The Redding Police Department budgeted $30,000 annually to pay retired officers to ad minister the Red Light Photo Enforcement Program. In the 2007/2008 budget year $26,919.62 of the budgeted funds were spent. As of September 17, 2008, Redflex, Inc. had invoiced the Redding Police Department for $200,516.40. The city paid Redflex, Inc. $116,000, the total amount collected from red light violation fines. Becau se of the cost neutra lity clause of t he Redflex, Inc. contract, the Red Li ght Phot o Enforcement Program cost the City of Redding $ 26,919.62, the wages for the retired officers, but generated no revenue for the city. In 2009 Redflex, Inc. agreed to an amendment of the contract and assumed responsibility for paying the wages of the retired officers. If the fines collected ever exceed Redflex, Inc. charges, the city’s general fund would benefit from the Red Light Photo Enforcement Program.

Fines: According to the Shasta County Superior Court, the base fine for conviction of running a red light is $400. The fine can be increased by court fees, prior convictions and traffic school costs. The California Penal and Government Codes require th at the fine money be distributed to 14 different accounts. Those accounts include funding for a ctivities such as court automation, automated fingerprinting, courthouse construction, county services, and criminal justice program s. The Cit y of Redding receives the largest single share of each fine, approximately 41 percent, to operate the red light photo enforcement program. Redflex Inc. is paid out of this 41 percent for its services. Theoretically, the City of Redding could experience surplus revenue from the red light photo enforcement program. However, since the fine revenue is currently significantly lower than Redflex, Inc. charges, income in excess of expenditures will not occur in the near future.

Collision statistics: Red light camera effectiveness has been studied fairly extensively. According to the Federal Highway Administration, red light cameras reduce overall injury crashes by as much as 25 percent although rear-end collisions may increase. Because the equipment was installed at various times throughout 2007, 2008 and 2009, comparative analysis of collision statistics was not available at the time of the writing of this report. The number of collisions at all intersections with active red light photo enforcement is down almost 48 percent in the first six months of 2008, and the total number of collisions citywide is down just over 21 percent for the same time period. There is no evidence of an increase in rear-end collisions. Redding Police Department traffic experts postulate that a primary cause of the dramatic improvement in traffic safety is the presence of red light cameras. In the last year of October 2007 to October 2008, the Shasta Count y Superior Court file d 2,783 red light camera citations, which un doubtedly made thousands of drivers think about their driving habits. The full year of 2009 should allow more accurate statistical comparisons from year to y ear and she d more light on the effect of the red light photo enforcement program.

Evidence and convictions: The members of the Grand Jury were impressed by the clarity of both the still images and video of violators who run red lights. The images themselves left no doubt i n the Grand Jurors’ minds that the drivers had committed violations. Every driver who is cited for a red light camera violation is able to view the ph otographic evidence pertaining to the incident. The quality of evidence pro vided b y Redflex, Inc., combined with the exper t testim ony of the Reddi ng Pol ice Department personnel, have resulted in every citation being upheld, excepting one which was dismissed on a non-red light camera technicality. This conviction rate is i mpressive, considering that the court processed over 2,700 citations in the last year. Additionally, since the cameras operate only during the red light phase, they are not capable of being rem otely focused on any thing but the intersection. The evidence is viewed only when a viola tion occurs. The Grand J ury saw no e vidence that the City of Redding is monitoring its citizens for anything other than detecting red light violations. 85

The Court: The Shasta County Superior Court, a state-funded agency, processes all red light photo enforcement program citations. Because of this program the court m ust process thousands m ore citations than in the past. Even though the state court system is to receive approximately 13 percent of red light viol ation fines, none of that money has yet returned to the Shasta Count y court. With no money to hire more personnel for the increased volume of violations, the court has automated citation processing to allow existing personnel to process the many additional citations.

Yellow light phasing times: In 2008, the Cit y of Redding i nitiated reviews of the y ellow light change intervals at all intersections w here the red light photo enforcement program operates. The change intervals have all b een set to meet or exceed the intervals required by the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices and were recorded in docum ents signed by the city’ s Director of Transportation.