Red lights are getting the green

by Hannah Riddle, posted Nov. 4, 2009

Columbia police are cracking down on drivers who run red lights this fall. In early August, red-light cameras were placed at two intersections: Broadway and Providence, and Stadium and Worley.

“If people run the red light, most did it unintentionally,” said Rose Wibbenmeyer, the Columbia City prosecutor. “They are distracted. With the red light camera, you have the immediate response of a flash.”

During the month of September, 225 violations were issued for red-light traffic violations. In 2008, before the cameras were put in place, Columbia police gave out 300 traffic violations, for similar behavior.

“The new police chief is making traffic safety a priority and our overall case load of traffic violations has gone up,” Wibbenmeyer said.

According to the United States Department of Transportation and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, more than 900 people are killed and 200,000 injured in the U.S. each year by disregarding stopping signals. About half of the deaths are pedestrians and occupants in vehicles other than the ones making the violation.

When a driver crosses an intersection during a red light, the camera’s memory dates the incident and takes a photo of the license plate. The police then review the data, and tickets are usually issued by the mail within two to three weeks.

According to the City of Columbia Web site: “The Municipal court may punish a red light violation by a fine from $1 to $500, a maximum prison sentence of three months, or a combination of the two. If the violation does not involve an accident, the driver may plead guilty and pay the total fine and court costs of $120 through the City Traffic Violations Bureau.”

The goal of the red-light cameras and police issuing tickets is to get people to slow down and abide by the rules. With the rise and crack-down on traffic violations, including red-light cameras, drivers around Columbia need to watch how they are driving.

“I think it’s definitely going to make people think about their driving habits,” Wibbenmeyer said. “I think we are going to see an improvement in driving behavior overall.”

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