Information regarding photo enforcement of traffic laws - Vote NO on Issue 35

The following information clarifies the City of Cleveland's use of photo traffic enforcement technology.

Based on the facts of the program reducing collisions and increasing safety, I urge voters to VOTE NO on Issue 35 on Tuesday, November 4th.

If there are any questions or you or your organization would like to sign on as supporters for defeating Issue 35 please feel free to contact me at brianjcummins@clevelandcitycouncil.org.

Save a Life, Vote No on Issue 35
See below the fact sheet for additional information.

Traffic Safety Camera - Fact Sheet VLong by Brian Cummins

Additional information:

In 2013 the City renewed its Automated Photo Enforcement Contract with Xerox.  This renewal allowed the City to place additional photo enforced cameras at those previously identified intersections from the NOACA report as well as intersections identified from the City’s Computer Aided Dispatch Calls for Accidents report, Citizens and Council members.  A 16-hour video analysis was completed at each site before any photo enforced equipment was installed.


Regarding the timing of Yellow traffic signal lights
As of 2011 (and with a compliance deadline of 2014), states are required to adopt the National Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). These guidelines address how yellow light timing durations are set, which may help resolve some of the arguments by motorists claiming they were cited for going through intersections with unreasonably quick yellow lights.  Per federal regulations, tickets are issued only if the driver enters the intersection once the light has turned red.

In Cleveland, following national best practices, the yellow traffic light phase has been extended to all intersections with photo enforcement equipment.  The yellow time’s for all of the city of Cleveland's red light photo enforcement cameras are generally around 4 – 4.3 seconds.


Total citations issued and revenue received for the photo enforcement program.  Note that as indicated in FACT 2.  The number of collisions and tickets issued has declined since the program was initiated.

Elaborating on -  1. FACT: The program places a priority on high crash intersections and major arterial streets and has proven to reduce collisions and improve safety. 80% percent of Cleveland’s traffic safety cameras are in use at high crash intersections or on major arterial corridors that have been identified to be high speed and crash areas. REF: 2007 and 2009 Crash Reports from The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency

The following streets are the main corridors where photo enforcement cameras are being utilized:

1. Carnegie Avenue
2. Cedar Avenue
3. Chester Avenue
4. Clark Avenue
5. East 105th 
6. East 55th Street
7. Euclid Avenue
8. Harvard Avenue
9. Lee Road
10. Martin Luther King
11. Pearl Road
12. Shaker Boulevard
13. St. Clair Avenue
14. West 65th Street
15. West Boulevard
16. Woodland Avenue

Pertaining to - 11.  FACT: The photo enforcement program is carried out in a fair, public and transparent manner to serve as a strong deterrent to violating traffic laws.

The City of Cleveland puts out public notices of where portable photo enforcement units are being deployed.  Public notices are sent out through press releases and posted on the City's blog - http://clecityhall.com.  Here are the current locations of the portable photo enforcement cameras.  Area block clubs, civic groups, and Council members can request locations to be covered by calling the City's Traffic Enforcement Division at 216-664.

All camera locations, (fixed and mobile) are listed and mapped at this link.

PCU (Portable Camera Unit) Locations 10/20/2014 – 11/07/2014.  The following will be active locations for the city’s Portable Camera Units (PCUs) beginning Monday, October 20, 2014. Legislation passed in May, 2013  increased the number of fixed camera sites from 24 to 49 and increased portable sites from 6 to 15. These locations will be active from October 20 to November 7, 2014.                                                                                                                             

1. 11327 Martin Luther King Drive
2. 11400 Block Edgewater Drive
3. 2300 Block of St. Clair Avenue
4. 1500 Block of West 25th Street
5. 4300 Block of Payne Avenue
6. 2100 Block of Clark Avenue
7. 15900 Lorain Avenue
8. 6411 St. Clair Avenue
9. 7600 Clark Avenue
10. St. Clair Avenue and Lancelot Avenue
11. East 177 Block of Villaview Road
12. 2600 Block of North Moreland Boulevard
13. West 104th Street & Madison Avenue
14. 4900 Block of Rocky River Drive
15. 6600 Fleet Avenue

References:

The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency
* 2009 Crash Report;  * 2007 Crash Report

Camera enforcement in 14 large cities reduces rate of fatal red light running crashes by 24 percent

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, February 1, 2011.

Q & A - Red light running- Camera enforcement works to curb this dangerous behavior.
March 2014, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

Automated Enforcement Myths
Michele Fields, J.D., Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, March 2001

States using red light and speed cameras
Red light running, Camera enforcement works to curb this dangerous behavior.
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Automated enforcement, October 2014

Speeding and Red Light Camera Tickets
FindLaw

Excerpt - 

Federal Law & Regulation

"...In a 2008 appeal to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, car owners in Chicago claimed the city's red light camera system violated the equal protection and due process clauses of the 14th Amendment. They received a $90 citation in the mail for running a red light (someone else had been driving their car at the time).

The federal judges ruled against the appellants, stating the following in their opinion:

"No one has a fundamental right to run a red light or avoid being seen by a camera on a public street."

Therefore, federal courts have affirmed the right of municipalities to use speeding and red light cameras. Additionally, lawsuits challenging the use of private companies to operate red light cameras have been dismissed or defeated..."

Institute responds to criticism of red light camera research
Status Report, Vol. 47, No. 3 | April 12, 2012, ,

Excerpt - 

Red light running is a serious traffic safety problem that kills about 700 people and injures an additional 130,000 each year. Solid, published research by the Institute and other experts demonstrates that red light cameras save lives.