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The City's red light cameras are managed by the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department.
Over 4000 collisions occur on the streets of Sacramento annually.
Of those collisions, more than 50 percent occur at traffic signals.
Half of those collisions result in injuries.
Traffic signals are designed to reduce motor vehicle crashes at
intersections by separating conflicting traffic movements. Compliance
with the signal indications is essential for safe and efficient traffic
movement, and noncompliance contributes substantially to urban motor
vehicle crashes.
Motorists are more likely to be injured in crashes involving red
light running than in other types of urban crashes. A study of
police-reported crashes in four U.S. cities indicates occupant injuries
occurred in 45 percent of the red light running crashes, compared with
30 percent of other crash types. This indicates that reductions in red
light running crashes would be especially beneficial in reducing urban
crash losses.
Efforts to promote traffic law compliance are constrained by limited
police enforcement resources, which have been declining in relation to
the number of vehicles on the road. Enforcing traffic signal compliance
in urban areas is difficult not only because of limited manpower but
because of factors associated with traditional enforcement methods,
which in many cases require police to follow a violating vehicle through
a red light to stop it. This action, plus pursuit in areas of high vehicle
density, can endanger motorists, pedestrians and police officers. Therefore,
conventional traffic enforcement in some communities is being supplemented
with advanced technology.
Red light cameras increasingly are being used to help communities enforce
traffic laws by automatically photographing vehicles whose drivers
deliberately run red lights. A red light camera system is connected to the
traffic signal system and to sensors buried in the pavement at the crosswalk
or stop line. The camera system continuously monitors the traffic signal, and
the camera is triggered when any vehicle passes over the sensors faster than
a preset minimum speed and at a specified elapsed time after the signal has
turned red. A second photograph is taken that shows the violator in the
intersection. The camera records the date, time of day, time elapsed since the
beginning of the red signal, and the speed of the vehicle. The use of a flash
produces clear images under a wide range of light and weather conditions. Upon
review of photographic evidence and depending on state law requirements, tickets
are issued by mail to either vehicle owners or to drivers at the time of the
offenses.
Background
From 1999 to 2003, the Sacramento Police Department managed the City’s
Red Light Camera Program.
In September 2003, the Police Department turned the management of the
City program over to the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department through a
Memorandum of Understanding.
In December 2008, the memorandum was renewed between
the City and County of Sacramento for an additional five years.
There are eight intersections that currently have red light running
cameras in operation. They are:
- Mack Road & La Mancha Way/Valley Hi Drive
- El Camino Avenue & Evergreen Street
- Howe Avenue & Fair Oaks Boulevard
- Mack Road & Center Parkway
- Broadway & 21st Street
- Folsom Boulevard & Howe Avenue/Power Inn Road
- Arden Way & Challenge Way
- 5h Street & I Street
The City is considering at additional locations for red light cameras.
For program-related questions contact:
City of Sacramento
Department of Transportation
Traffic Engineering
915 I Street, Rm. 2000
Sacramento, CA 95814
916 808.5307
For citation or court information contact:
Sacramento Metropolitan Red Light
Photo Enforcement Program
903 Enterprise Dr., Suite 204
Sacramento, CA 95825
916.876.6643 General Information
916.875.7800 Court Information
Public hours of operation:
8:00am - 3:30pm
Monday - Friday, except holidays
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