Hauppauge, NY- Suffolk County officials this week announced that the first in a series of “red light cameras” – a photo-enforcement system which captures red light violations -- is operational at the intersection of CR93 and the Long Island Expressway South Service Road.

Implementation of the county’s Red Light Safety Program will begin with a 30-day grace period in which warnings, but not violations and fines, will be generated.  The grace period ends July 15, and cameras will be installed at additional Suffolk County-New York Stateroad intersections beginning in August.

The safety program for up to 50 intersections was established by county legislation passed in 2009 and designed to reduce right-angle crashes caused by drivers running a red light or failing to make a full stop before making an allowable right-on-red turn.

An estimated 165,000 people are injured annually in the U.S. in red light crashes, with nearly 1,000 deaths. According to studies, use of red light cameras in Texas resulted in a reduction of right-angle crashes by 43% in the first year of operation.

Under the program, a red light violation will carry a $50 fine for the owner of the vehicle, with no points assigned and no insurance implications. Fines will be deposited into the county’s road fund as revenue to offset taxes.

How It Works

Photo enforcement cameras connected to the traffic signal and sensors on the intersection stop lines are triggered when a vehicle enters the intersection above a minimum speed while the light is red. Thus vehicles entering the intersection on yellow, or those that were in the intersection waiting to make a left-hand turn when the light changed, will not be captured.

An 8-second video of the violation is recorded along with two photo captures that identify date, time, vehicle speed and time the light has been red. The cameras photograph the car only from the rear to capture the license plate.

After the violations are reviewed by trained county technicians, a citation is mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle. Included in the citation will be a specialized web address and PIN number where the violator can view the infraction and make an on-line payment. Payments can also be made by phone to a major credit card or by mail.

The county also has a general informational website on the program at: www.suffolkcountyny.gov/redlight.

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