- HB565 sponsored by Rep. Jake Fitisemanu would create a pilot program for red light cameras.
- The sponsor worked with agencies such as Utah Department of Transportation to put together the bill.
- The program would send out warnings for red light violations and would gather information to help decrease red light violations
A new bill that would create a pilot program for red light cameras across the state was introduced in the House on Thursday.
HB565 would created a pilot program to set up red light cameras across the state to capture the license plates of those who run red lights. Warnings would be sent out for violations and the program would be used to gather data on red light violations across the state.
The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Jake Fitisemanu, D-West Valley, worked with agencies across the state such as Utah Department of Transportation, public safety, the UTA Highway Patrol, to come up with this pilot program to help deter drivers in Utah from running red lights. The program would use new technologies to operate as smoothly as possible.
Last year at one intersection near Fitisemanu’s home in West Valley, there were four people who died as a result of red light crashes. But, he said it’s not just a problem in his neighborhood, this is happening all around the state.
“We’re trying to change behavior, right? We’re not just out here trying to hand out tickets and punish people. So I think we found a way that we can do this in a way that becomes a deterrent. This is going to be based on evidence and data.” Fitisemanu said.
The Department of Transportation would identify up to 10 high-risk intersections to install these cameras at, with the necessary signage informing the public of the camera.
The pilot program would last a year and people would be issued warnings through the mail for red light violations, the warnings would not include fines or citation and would not go on someone driving record.
“The registered owner of the vehicle would receive a warning that said, Hey, your car was captured going through this intersection illegally. We’re letting you know that we’re monitoring this and we’re studying this situation,” the sponsor said.
There is an option for fines for repeat offenders, which is up to the discretion of the person who would be issuing the fine. The maximum amount for the fines would be $130.
Fitisemanu added that the purpose of this program is to help gather information to help the state move forward knowing better how to reduce red light incidents. He said there are many stories of people getting injured or killed in red light incidences but being able to back up these stories with hard data will be more powerful.
“If we can back that up with actual data of how many people are running these lights every day? That times of the day are peak violation times? Where are these major violation intersections? How fast are people flying through these? That’s going to give us a lot of powerful information to make good decisions, and that’s what I’m most excited about this,” Fitisemanu said.
The pilot program would not be fully automated. After the photo of someone running a red light is captured, it would go to a police officer to review it and then decide whether or not to send out a warning.
“That allows people to then face an accuser, right? There’s an actual human eyes, a human a person with human eyes were reviewing this. It’s not an automated system,” Fitisemanu said.
The cameras will be taking photos of the back of the vehicle, so it will not capture the faces of people in the car, they are just focusing on the license plate. Fitisemanu said he has worked with the state privacy officer to make sure they can keep all data safe that is gathered through this program.
Technology has also improved over the years, which will help this program run more smoothly and accomplish its goals without causing unnecessary problems.
“I hope eventually, the outcome is a reduction or an elimination of people getting hurt and killed because of red light crashes,” Fitisemanu said. “That’s what I would love to see.”