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How red light cameras work
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DO NOT CONDONE NOR ENCOURAGE RUNNING
RED LIGHTS. DO NOT BUY OUR PRODUCTS
IF YOU INTEND TO USE THEM ILLEGALLY.
RUNNING RED LIGHTS IS CARELESS AND DANGEROUS.
PLEASE PROTECT YOURSELF AND OTHERS.
Red
Light cameras perform round-the-clock
monitoring of intersections by photographing
vehicles as they enter an intersection
after the light has turned red. The
system consists of fixed and movable
components. A fixed pole and cabinet
are permanently installed at an intersection.
They are accompanied by the portable
portion of the system, which comprises
about 80 percent of its total cost and
typically includes a Computer High-speed
camera, a Flash Digital loop signal
processor, and an optional high-speed
memory card. In an era of restricted
budgets and manpower, the benefits of
automated violation detection and capture
are compelling. By helping to ensure
that traffic laws are enforced in the
absence of police patrol, the system
promotes public safety, helps to prevent
dangerous high-speed pursuits, and enables
officers to focus on other law enforcement
priorities. Another example of sin tax
revenue, the RED Light Camera Turnkey
system is funded by traffic violators,
making it an efficient and reliable
method for generating public revenue
24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
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| After
a successful testing period during which
motorists were issued warnings of their
moving violations, the City of Oxnard,
CA began issuing citations for red light
violations caught on camera on July
1, 1997. Formerly known as U.S. Public
Technologies, Inc., the Lockheed-Martin
Information Management Systems - Photo
Enforcement Group (LMIMS-PEG) installed
photo red light enforcement cameras
at key intersections throughout Oxnard.
Similar photo systems have been in use
in the U.S. since 1968, and more than
8,000 exist worldwide. The system works
by photographing a vehicle's driver
and its front license plate as it crosses
the limit line after the light has turned
red. Since their installment, these
cameras have snapped pictures of suspected
car thieves driving stolen vehicles
and documented serious collisions on
digital film. |
This
is a typical digital photograph of a
car caught on the LMIMS-PEG Photo Red
System. The system takes two photos
of offending drivers: one near the limit
line and another about 0.5 seconds later.
LMIMS-PEG then deciphers the vehicle's
front license plate number and mails
the registered owner of the car a citation
along with copies of both photos. The
images on this page have been blurred
to protect the guilty party; however
this system is known to capture crystal-clear
photos of drivers and plate numbers,
day or night. After receiving their
citation, registered owners can schedule
an appointment with the Oxnard P.D.
Traffic Unit to view the actual photos.
And in cases where someone other than
the owner was driving, owners are told
to bring the driver with them to the
station for a photo comparison. |
On
every photograph is a "Camera Data
Block." This block (enlarged by
the above image) provides critical information
about the violation. This picture was
taken on July 7, 1997 at 5:50 pm. It
was the eighth photo citation of the
day at this intersection and the second
of two photos taken of this car, the
first of which was exposed 0.5 seconds
prior to this shot. At the time this
photo was taken, the light had been
red for 0.9 seconds, and the car was
traveling at 58 miles per hour.
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