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CAMERAS MAY BE COMING TO A TRAFFIC LIGHT NEAR YOU
A PICTURE'S WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS FOR RED LIGHT VIOLATORS
By Keith Hagarty
 | | --Photo By Keith Hagarty Traffic lights in Brick may soon have a little something extra, namely cameras designed to snap photos of cars that run red lights. |
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Surprise! You're on candid camera!
In an effort to increase traffic safety on Brick's busiest roadways, the township is investigating the possibility of installing cameras at intersections throughout the town to identify drivers who go through red lights and issue violation notices.
Traversing Brick's busy intersections for the past 20 years, particularly the highly traveled Route 70 corridor, resident Joseph Merino said he would fully support any such plan if it led to a greater awareness of driver safety and personal responsibility.
"It's ridiculous out there," he said of Brick's increasing traffic congestion. "It's bad enough the roads are jam-packed pretty much whenever you're trying to get around town, but when you have drivers who obviously have no respect for any traffic laws or other drivers, that's just a dangerous situation waiting to happen."
If installed, the strategically placed cameras would take a snapshot of any vehicle traveling through a red light. The identification system would be similar to those already utilized throughout the state, such as the vehicle offender system instituted by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, where drivers passing through an E-Z Pass lane without the proper verification are mailed a ticket and a corresponding photograph of their vehicle at the exact time of the offense.
"Maybe if someone gets a couple of pricey tickets to go along with the image of their car busting through a red light, maybe then they'll think twice about it," said Merino. "And if not? Well, at least it hits them in the wallet."
The New Jersey Legislature passed legislation earlier this year allowing municipalities to install digital cameras at high-volume intersections to record motorists traveling through red lights and issue violation notices.
While he's in full support of the legislation, Mayor Stephen Acropolis noted that the council would still have to conduct a full review of any such program with the Township Police Department, and still determine the associated costs and fines.
"Going through red lights is extremely dangerous," said Acropolis. "If motorists knew that there was a camera recording them, they would be more reluctant to go through the light and endanger other motorists, pedestrians, their passengers and themselves."
Red light camera systems are triggered when a vehicle enters an intersection after the light has been red for a predetermined time. According to the Insurance Institute For Highway Safety, a review of red light camera studies around the world concluded that cameras reduce red light violations by 40 to 50 percent, and can reduce crashes by upwards of 25 to 30 percent.
Acropolis is also hopeful new traffic light cameras could also possibly decrease traffic congestion.
"There are a number of places in town where people frequently ignore the signal and end up blocking the box," he said. "This prevents traffic from flowing smoothly. Not to mention driving other motorists crazy."
Before any installation of cameras could even begin, the township would first have to submit a list of high-volume intersections to the state DOT for approval.
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