RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – Last February, CBS 17 reported Raleigh would be expanding its current red light traffic camera system. The city outlined Tuesday its plans for the new cameras.
There are currently 15 red light cameras throughout Raleigh and they generate about $2 million in fines each year.
But, the equipment is more than a decade old and the city wants to replace all of it on top of adding 10 more cameras. The city said the old cameras don’t always capture violators, break down frequently, and can only catch one driver at a time.
During its meeting yesterday, the city council was told new cameras will change that.
“The new tech will be able to capture multiple violators,” said Jed Niffenegger of the Raleigh Transportation Department.
City engineers call the red light cameras a safety program and cite several independent studies showing the cameras reduce T-bone type crashes by 54 percent at intersections with the cameras.
Driver Kayla Dean isn’t so sure the cameras are a crash deterrent.
“If someone is a reckless driver, a camera won’t stop them from being a reckless driver,” Dean said. “I don’t think it’ll stop someone from causing an accident.”
Although the city likes the cameras, some drivers are ambivalent.
“I think they keep people safe and accountable, and that’s a good thing, but sometimes they malfunction and that’s a big issue,” said driver Thomas Cooper. He said he was once the victim of a malfunction red light camera.
Unlike other municipalities which disbanded their programs, Raleigh said it has been able to keep its red light cameras in large part due to how they operate the system because:
- The city selects the locations for cameras
- Pays a flat fee to the vendor so payment is not based on citations issued
- Reviews all violations to see if they warrant a citation.
The city has budgeted $5.3 million to rebuild the red light camera system and add the 10 new ones at locations to be determined based on accident rates at intersections.
News of the additional cameras prompts some drivers to be more wary.
“I don’t want to incriminate myself, but I do run a lot of red lights and it’ll hurt me in the future,” said motorist Robert Hutchins.
The money collected by the red light cameras in Raleigh goes to Wake County Schools.
In the last fiscal year, the city says it gave more the school system $864,739 after deducting the vendor’s flat fee of and administrative costs of for the city.
The last records CBS 17 obtained showed the vendor was paid a flat fee of $666,000 and the City of Raleigh incurred $218, 000 in administrative fees.
The red light camera fine in Raleigh is $50 with no penalty on your insurance.
Those who get stopped by a police officer for the same violation can expect a $100 fine, plus court costs, and three points on insurance.
