Automated Photo Enforcement Program - Red Low-cal Cameras

In late July 2006, the City of Seattle initiated a 12-calendar month pilot project designed to test the effectiveness of traffic safety cameras – too known as red light cameras – at selected arterial intersections. The purpose of the project was to gauge the extent to which these cameras might reduce the frequency of cerise light running and associated collisions, events which have become all too frequent in recent years, not simply in Seattle but throughout the land.

Birthday, six camera systems were deployed at four intersections in the pilot projection. After 12 months, through July 23, 2007, 16,539 citations were issued. The Final Evaluation Report, summarizes the results of the airplane pilot and evaluates the performance of the carmine calorie-free cameras and the City's red light photographic camera vendor, American Traffic Solutions, Inc. (ATS) of Scottsdale, Arizona.

Based on the favorable findings of the pilot project, the Urban center approved a significant expansion of the program in 2008, 2009, and 2013 involving the add-on of 25 new cameras at intersections throughout Seattle. Four factors were weighed in choosing locations for the new cameras: right-angle crashes, serious pedestrian injuries, the frequency of cherry-red light running based on video ascertainment, and geographic distribution.

With the completion of construction in September 2013, the City at present has 31 "red light" traffic condom cameras operating at 23 dissimilar arterials intersections.

How do the cameras piece of work?

The Axsis RLC-300 camera arrangement used past ATS has iii basic components: a high resolution camera for taking however, color photos, a video camera that provides a broader view of the offending vehicle and any other vehicles, pedestrians, or cyclists in the intersection, and a vehicle sensing device that activates the still cameras and captures video of budgeted vehicles that the system "predicts" will violate a ruby signal.

Red Ligth Camera

The stills show the vehicle behind the stop line with the traffic signal showing red in the image #1 photo and the same vehicle fully beyond the end line with the traffic signal still showing red in image #2 photo. These two photos, together with a cropped image of the vehicle license plate are included in the commendation (besides known as the detect of infraction (NOI)) that is sent to the registered owner of the vehicle. The all the same photos and video clip of the outcome are available to police reviewers, courtroom personnel, and registered owners via secure ATS Internet Web site. All photos and video just prove the vehicle from the rear, as Washington police force prohibits taking images of the faces of vehicle driver or occupants.

Photos and videos of violation events are sent electronically from the traffic prophylactic camera system to the ATS data centre where they are reviewed confronting criteria established past the Seattle Constabulary Department. Events that clearly are non violations are rejected at the data center. Events that appear to be a violation are forwarded to trained officers in the SPD Traffic Section, who qualify issuance of citations for those deemed in violation, review events that appear to see SPD criteria.

Ofttimes Asked Questions

The City is required to post out all notice of infractions within 14 days of the date the violation took place. If the violation took place while driving a rental car, the timeframe volition exist longer. The rental car company has the opportunity to identify the vehicle operator and forward the information so a notice of infraction tin be mailed to the renter of the vehicle.

Yous have 3 payment options:

  1. Send a bank check or coin order in U.S. funds, payable to Seattle Municipal Court, for the Amount DUE shown on the front, on or earlier the DUE DATE. Please include the enclosed coupon with your payment. Write your Notice # and your license plate # on your cheque or money order. PLEASE Practice NOT MAIL CASH.
  2. Pay through the internet, on or before the DUE Engagement at www.seattle.gov/courts/ticketinformation.htm or through our automated payment system attainable from any affect-tone telephone at (206) 233-7000.
  3. Pay in person, on or before the DUE Date, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM at the Court Payment Office on the 1st floor of the Seattle Municipal Court Building, 600 5th Avenue, Seattle, WA. A payment box is located in the front of the Seattle Municipal Courtroom Building for after-hours convenience.

Utilize the coupon enclosed with your ticket to request a mitigation hearing or contested hearing. To submit a annunciation of non-responsibleness, follow the instructions on the ticket.

  • A HEARING TO Explicate THE CIRCUMSTANCES: Past requesting a mitigation hearing, you will be accounted to have committed the infraction. You lot may not subpoena witnesses for this hearing. You would asking a mitigation hearing if you agree you lot committed the infraction but believe the circumstances may be such that the court could reduce or waive the punishment.
  • A HEARING TO CONTEST THE INFRACTION: At a contested hearing the Metropolis has the burden of proving by a preponderance of the evidence that the infraction was committed. Y'all may subpoena witnesses including the officer who issued this Find of Infraction. If you lot asking a contested hearing the Courtroom will schedule a pre-hearing conference, which yous may waive by using the form attached to the Observe of Hearing that the Court will send y'all.
  • SUBMIT A Proclamation OF NON-Responsibleness: If your vehicle was stolen, sold past yous prior to the date of the violation, or was otherwise not in your care, custody or control at the fourth dimension of the violation, you lot may submit a sworn statement to that effect to the Courtroom to rebut the presumption, established in SMC 11.31.090, that you were driving the vehicle at the time of the violation.

A photo enforced violation is treated similar a parking infraction. There are no bug with your license, no points assessed, and no touch on to your insurance.

Photos and videos of violation events are sent electronically from the traffic safety camera system to the ATS data heart where they are reviewed against criteria established by the Seattle Police Department. Events that conspicuously are non violations are rejected at the data center. Those accounted potential violations are forwarded to SPD where trained officers in the SPD Traffic Department review and either reject or qualify issuance of citations for speed violations.

You may view the photographic images and video online at world wide web.ViolationInfo.com. You must apply the Notice # and PIN printed on the front of the detect to login.

Persons without access to a computer can visit whatever Seattle Public Library co-operative or at the Municipal Court (600 5th Artery) to view photographic and video prove.

If it occurs during late night, it's virtually likely the photographic camera conducting a self-diagnostic test and you volition not take a ticket. There is also the likelihood of ecology or other uncontrollable factors that may create a "false" trigger. Each potential violation goes through a multi-pace review procedure to insure a violation took identify, and where a "false" trigger is present, the infraction is rejected. All infractions must be mailed out no later than xiv days following the infraction and if you have non received anything i to 2 days following the mailing, then there was no infraction.