Red Light Photo Enforcement
Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the penalty for running a red light?

The penalty for a convicted red light violation is one point on your driving record and a minimum fine of $380. Traffic school is an option for those who meet the court requirements. Information can be obtained through the San Mateo County Superior Court. If you have received a red light citation at an intersection equipped with digital video, you can schedule an appointment by calling 650.330.6693 to review it at the Menlo Park Police Department You can also view the video of the violation online at photonotice.com.

2. What is red light running?

A violation occurs when a motorist enters an intersection some time after the signal light has turned red. Motorists inadvertently in an intersection when the signal changes to red (waiting to turn left, for example) are not red light runners.

3. Is red light running a big problem?

A nationwide study of fatal crashes at traffic signals in 1999 and 2000 estimated that 20 percent of the drivers involved failed to obey the signals. In 2006, almost 900 people were killed and an estimated 144,000 were injured in crashes that involved red light running. About half of the deaths in red light running crashes are pedestrians and occupants in other vehicles who are hit by the red light runners. Occupant injuries occurred in 45 percent of red light running crashes, compared with 30 percent of other crash types.

4. Isn't conventional police enforcement sufficient?

Enforcing traffic laws in dense urban areas by traditional means poses special difficulties for police, who in most cases must follow a violating vehicle through a red light to stop it. This can endanger motorists and pedestrians as well as officers, and police cannot be everywhere at once. Traffic stops in urban areas can exacerbate traffic congestion. Communities such as Menlo Park do not have the resources to allow police to patrol intersections as often as would be needed to ticket all motorists who run red lights. Red light cameras allow police to focus on other enforcement needs.

5. What safety benefits do red light cameras provide?

Cameras have been shown to substantially reduce red light violations. Institute evaluations in Fairfax, Virginia, and Oxnard, California, showed that camera enforcement reduced red light running violations by about 40 percent. In addition to reducing red light running at camera-equipped sites, violation reductions in both communities carried over to signalized intersections not equipped with red light cameras, indicating community-wide changes in driver behavior. In addition to reducing red light violations, cameras have been shown to reduce intersection crashes. In Oxnard, California, significant citywide crash reductions followed the introduction of red light cameras, and injury crashes at intersections with traffic signals were reduced by 29 percent. Front-into-side collisions - the crash type most closely associated with red light running - were reduced by 32 percent overall, and front-into-side crashes involving injuries were reduced by 68 percent. An Institute review of international red light camera studies concluded that cameras reduce red light violations by 40-50 percent and reduce injury crashes by 25-30 percent.

6. Do the cameras photograph every vehicle passing through an intersection?

No. Cameras are set so that only those vehicles that enter an intersection after the light has turned red are photographed. Vehicles that enter on yellow and are still in an intersection when the light changes to red are not photographed. This technology is intended to identify vehicles driven by motorists who enter an intersection after the signal has turned red.

7. Does someone review the photographs before motorists are ticketed?

Yes. Trained police officers and staff review every picture to verify vehicle information and ensure the vehicle is in violation. Tickets are mailed to vehicle owners only in cases where it is clear the vehicle ran a red light.

8. Do red light cameras violate motorists' privacy?

No. Driving is a regulated activity on public roads. By obtaining a license, a motorist agrees to abide by certain rules, such as to obey traffic signals. Neither the law nor common sense suggests drivers should not be observed on the road or have their violations documented. When citations are issued, the only recognizable person in the photos is the driver - all passenger faces are carefully blocked out.

9. Does the American public support the use of red light cameras?

The large majority of the US public supports red light cameras. A 2000 Institute survey in ten cities - five with cameras and five without - reported that more than 75 percent of drivers supported camera enforcement. A 2002 nationwide survey sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and conducted by the Gallup Organization found that 75 percent of drivers favored the use of red light cameras. A 1996 survey by the Insurance Research Council found that the highest support for red light cameras was in large cities, where 83 percent of respondents supported their use, compared with 52 percent of respondents in suburbs.

10. Do major US cities use red light cameras?

Cameras are used for law enforcement in Albuquerque, Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, DC, plus many smaller communities. Similar systems have also been used with successful safety results in many other countries including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Israel, the Netherlands, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.

If you have questions regarding Red Light Photo Enforcement in Menlo Park, please call 650-330-6693.