LISA MARCHESONI, Post Senior Writer
Posted: Sunday, February 28, 2010 7:13 am

Income from red-light camera tickets amounted to a net revenue of $248,000 for the city of Murfreesboro’s coffers during its first year of operation, the city recorder said.

The total net revenue amounted to 0.27 percent of the city’s $92 million budget for the past fiscal year, said City Recorder Melissa Wright. The money goes into the city’s general fund, which helps fund the police department.

Murfreesboro Police Department contracted with Traffipax to install and monitor the six intersections equipped with traffic light cameras, recording drivers who run the traffic light.

Drivers paid Murfreesboro City Court a total of $837,744 in citations the first year, she said. Expenses for the first year amounted to $589,630.

Traffic cameras are located at the intersections of:

• South Church Street and Middle Tennessee Boulevard,
• South Church Street and Northwest Broad Street,
• Northwest Broad Street and Northfield Boulevard,
• Old Fort Parkway and Thompson Lane,
• Memorial Boulevard and Northfield Boulevard, and
• Mercury Boulevard and Rutherford Boulevard.

Murfreesboro Police spokesman Kyle Evans said the program isn’t about the money.

“From the onset of this program, reducing the number of injury crashes and keeping people safe at our many intersections is our priority and will continue to be our priority.”



Keeping people safe
For the first year at the monitored intersections the number of crashes increased by 16 and rear end crashes rose by 24.

Rear end type collisions allow for a crumple or crush of the vehicle so it absorbs the forces of the crash rather than the occupants. Even so, following too closely and inattentiveness are the two major causal factors in rear-end collisions. 

Even if someone “stops hard or even slams on their brakes to stop at a light,” other drivers should be following at a safe distance as to avoid a crash, Evans said.

But side angle crashes dropped by nine.

Drivers who ignore the red lights create potentially dangerous situations, such as side-impact, or T-bone, crashes.

“Even with new side-impact airbags equipped on some vehicles, side-impact crashes generally result in greater bodily injury than other types of crashes typically seen in intersections,” Evans noted.

Since the inception of the program, not one driver passenger or witness has attributed a crash to the presence of red-light cameras.

Police believe they need at least three years of statistical data before determining the effectiveness of the red-light camera program.

Evans noted drivers can turn right on red after stopping at all but two of the six monitored intersections.

At Thompson Lane and Old Fort Parkway and at Northfield and Northwest Broad Street, drivers will notice signs prohibiting them from turning right on red.

“That outside lane would have to turn across a thru lane of traffic,” Evans explained. “In addition, the view can be obstructed. You’re pulling out blind in many cases.”

Processing citations
When a driver drives through a red light, the cameras capture the image on video and still photographs.

Once a vehicle is captured on camera, Traffipax reviews the image to eliminate funeral escorts or police officers with lights and sirens traveling through to answer an emergency call.

Then, images are sent to Officer Don Schubert who examines the video and still pictures to determine if a red-light violation occurred. He enters the make and color of the car. If it doesn’t match, the citation is not issued. If it matches, Traffipax issues a citation and mails it to the registered owner.

“At no time does Officer Schubert have any access as to who the registered owner is,” Evans said.

Registered owners may review the citation online with the video and photo evidence before determining if they want to pay the citation or fight it in court.

“If you are not the one driving, the citation contains an affidavit that you may fill out and submit to the court explaining who was driving your vehicle,” Evans said, adding, “They would be responsible for the citation,” similar to the way violations are handled if a driver but non-owner violates handicapped and parking laws.

Once a $50 citation is paid, the city receives $39 and Traffipax, $11.

Wright said she expects the revenue to decrease if drivers stop running the red lights.

“It may go down, then maybe there won’t be any accidents,” Wright said. “I hope people end up not being in crashes that kill them.”

Lisa Marchesoni may be reached at 869-0814 or at lmarchesoni@ murfreesboropost.com.