Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the Red Light Photo Safety Program?
• How do the red light cameras work?
• What if I don't have a front license plate on my vehicle? Will I get a ticket?
• What happens if I'm in the intersection when the light changes color?
• How much is the citation?
• What if the registered owner of the vehicle was not the driver at the time of the violation?
• What if I received a citation for a vehicle I had previously sold?
• Will this system also enforce speed violations?
• Will I have an opportunity to review the photographs with an officer?
• Isn't this a "speed trap?"
• How long is the yellow light?
• Does this program really reduce accidents?
• How do I contact the Red Light Photo Safety Program?
• What if the camera took a picture and I did not run the light?

What is the Red Light Photo Safety Program?

To adequately enforce traffic signal laws, we use red light photo enforcement. Police officers cannot be everywhere at once. For officers to continuously monitor an intersection with the uninterrupted focus of a red light photo camera, it would take at least three full-time officers at a cost of at least $450,000 per year. Obviously the cost would exceed the City's opportunity to responsibly enforce one intersection using traditional methods.

Another important consideration is the potential danger associated with police officers following red light runners through heavily congested intersections. The pursuit of red light runners can pose a serious risk for motorists, pedestrians and police officers. Red Light photo enforcement is safer, more efficient and cost-effective than traditional methods of intersection enforcement.

The RLPS system is a technology that records serious traffic violations the moment they occur. Cameras are used to photograph only vehicles that run red lights in targeted areas. Officers then review the film and a traffic citation is then issued to the vehicles' registered owner through the mail. If you drive the speed limit and do not run red lights your vehicle will not be photographed.

How do the red light cameras work?

Cameras are mounted in enclosures at selected intersections. RLPS takes four pictures of vehicles that run a red light. The first set of two photos shows the vehicle prior to entering the intersection AFTER the light has already turned red. The second two photos show the vehicles progression through the intersection while the light is red. The cameras record the date and time of the alleged violation, the location of the occurrence, the speed of the vehicle, and the length of time elapsed since the light turned red and the vehicle entered the intersection. Once the film is processed and a SDPD officer verifies the violation, a citation including photographs is sent to the vehicle's registered owner.

What if I do not have a front license plate on my vehicle? Will I get a ticket?

The camera system in San Diego takes multiple photos of the front and rear of the vehicle. Whichever license plate is legible will be used for the citation.

What happens if I'm in the intersection when the light changes color?

You will only receive a citation if you enter the intersection after the signal turns red. If you find yourself "trapped" in the intersection while the signal turns from yellow to red, you will not get a citation. It is good driving practice (and the law) to not enter an intersection unless you will be able to exit it, to avoid gridlock, so it's best to try to avoid getting trapped in the intersection in the first place.

How much is the citation?

The cost of the citation varies, based on your driving record. Citations for running a red light are a minimum of $436. This will increase if the citation is not paid within 30 days. The County Court will mail out a separate notice with the exact amount of your citation.

What if the registered owner of the vehicle was not the driver at the time of the violation?

If you did not own or were not driving the vehicle at the time of the violation, please fill out the information in the Affidavit of Non-Liability form of the citation. This will identify the actual driver. The Affidavit of Non-Liability form must be completely filled out and returned to ATS at P.O. Box 12129, Scottsdale, Arizona, 85267-2129, at least ten days prior to the appearance date. Do not send the Affidavit of Non-Liability form to the court. The citation will then be re-issued to the correct violator.

What if I received a citation for a vehicle I had previously sold?

The individual should complete the Affidavit of Non-Liability Form with the new owner's information (included with the citation) and return it to ATS at P.O. Box 12129, Scottsdale, Arizona, 85267-2129.

Will this system also enforce speed violations?

No. The system is not designed to enforce speed violations, nor does it use radar to detect a vehicle's speed.

Will I have an opportunity to review the photographs with an officer?

Yes. You can call (858) 573-5051 to schedule an appointment to view photographs of the violation. Viewing days will be pre-designated weekdays, and will be held at the San Diego Police Department Traffic Division, located at 9265 Aero Drive, San Diego, CA 92123. Unscheduled visitors may also be able to view photographs, but only at the availability of the office staff

Isn't this a "speed trap?"

No. Speed, though determined electronically, is not used to establish the violation of running the red light. A photograph, clearly depicting the violation and position of the violator's vehicle at the time of the signal change, establishes all the elements necessary for the violation.

How long is the yellow light?

The length of the yellow light is determined by the posted speed approaching the intersection. In the City of San Diego the minimum length for a yellow light is 3.9 seconds for a through movement in the intersection and 3.4 seconds for a turn. The national standard is 3 seconds. Most of our intersections have longer yellow time but each intersection is individually set.

Does this program really reduce accidents?

A number of cities employing RLPS technology have documented significant reductions in traffic collisions. In Charlotte, North Carolina, there has been an average reduction of 72% in red light running violations and a 25% decrease in total accidents at the twenty intersections with red light cameras.

Another study done in 1997 by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety took place in Oxnard, California. The study found that the red light violation rate was reduced 40% several months after the safety program began. The study in Oxnard found that at intersections not equipped with red light cameras, there was a 50% reduction rate.

Six months after the red light camera program began in San Francisco, the San Francisco Department of Parking and Traffic (DPT) reported that the number of red light runners dropped by 42% at photo enforced intersections. The San Francisco DPT also announced on April 7, 1998, that collisions caused by red light running decreased by approximately 10% citywide.

How do I contact the Red Light Photo Safety Program?

For comments or suggestions, please send an e-mail to redlightphoto@sandiego.gov. A Red Light Photo Safety Traffic Engineer will respond to your inquiry.

What if the camera took a picture and I did not run the light?

The photos from the automated camera system include the traffic signal indication. The system also identifies the vehicle running the red light. An officer reviewing the photos will clearly be able to see if a driver is running a red light.

If you entered the intersection on a green or yellow indication, you did not trigger the camera. It may have been a vehicle behind you or in another lane that triggered the system. We have found that some vehicles turn right with out stopping for the red light and trigger the camera. In most cases, as you are turning left, or traveling straight through the intersection you may not notice someone turning right at the intersection.

The camera system is very sensitive. If a vehicle approaches and stops quickly, it can trigger the camera. The camera system is set for a vehicle traveling at or above a minimum speed where it is assumed the driver is not going to stop. However, there are occasions where the camera system can detect if the vehicle is about to stop, and the system will erase the photos it had just taken. If you stop behind the limit line, you will not be issued a violation notice. The series of four photos and short video will clearly show that you stopped.

The system is also checked every day. The camera is remotely triggered to check each of the cameras and flash units. This will occur when a vehicle travels through on a green indication. Again, the photos will clearly show there was no violation, and no citation will be issued.