6 Cities That Were Caught Shortening Yellow Light Times For Profit
March 26th, 2008 Posted in Red-Light Cameras, Yellow Light Duration
Short yellow light times at intersections have been shown to increase the number of traffic violations and accidents. Conversely, increasing the yellow light duration can dramatically reduce red-light violations at an intersection.
Some local governments have ignored the safety benefit of increasing the yellow light time and decided to install red-light cameras, shorten the yellow light duration, and collect the profits instead.
Here are some of the cities that have been caught with short yellow light times over the past few years:
Important note: These news stories were collected from the archives of TheNewspaper.com, an excellent resource for anyone interested in traffic laws and other motorist issues. If you subscribe to TheNewspaper.com’s feed, you’ll never miss the latest news. It makes an excellent complement to this blog.
1) Chattanooga, Tennessee
The city of Chattanooga was forced refund $8800 in red light cameras tickets issued to motorists trapped by an illegally short yellow time. The refund only occurred after a motorist challenged his citation by insisting that the yellow light time of 3.0 seconds was too short. LaserCraft, the private vendor that runs the camera program in return for a cut of the profits, provided the judge with a computer database that asserted the yellow was 3.8 seconds at that location.
The judge then personally checked the intersection in question was timed at three seconds while other nearby locations had about four seconds of yellow warning. City traffic engineer John Van Winkle told Bean that “a mix up with the turn arrow” was responsible and that the bare minimum for the light should be 3.9 seconds.
2) Dallas, Texas
An investigation by KDFW-TV, a local TV station, found that of the ten cameras that issued the greatest number of tickets in the city, seven were located at intersections where the yellow duration is shorter than the bare minimum recommended by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).
The city’s second highest revenue producing camera, for example, was located at the intersection of Greenville Avenue and Mockingbird Lane. It issued 9407 tickets worth $705,525 between January 1 and August 31, 2007. At the intersections on Greenville Avenue leading up to the camera intersection, however, yellows are at least 3.5 or 4.0 seconds in duration, but the ticket-producing intersection’s yellow stands at just 3.15 seconds. That is 0.35 seconds shorter than TxDOT’s recommended bare minimum. Dallas likewise installed the cameras at locations with existing short yellow times. A total of twenty-one camera intersections in Dallas had yellow times below TxDOT’s bare minimum recommended amount.
The ticket camera program in Dallas made the news recently for shutting down some of its cameras because they were no longer profitable.
3) Springfield, Missouri
The city of Springfield, Missouri prepared for the installation of a red light camera system in 2007 by slashing the yellow warning time by one second at 105 state-owned intersection signals across the city.
The city defended its effort to the Springfield News-Leader by claiming it was “standardizing” and had increased the yellow time at 136 city-operated lights to meet national standards. During the city council meeting last October where the red light camera ordinance was approved, however, Assistant Director of Public Works Earl Newman gave a different explanation for the reduction. Newman said he was, “concerned that many individuals run the light if the light remained yellow too long.”
4) Lubbock, Texas
KBCD, a local television station, exposed the city’s short timing of yellow lights at eight of the twelve intersections where the devices were to be installed.
Prior to the news investigation, Lubbock City Engineer Jere Hart assured city council members that he would not increase yellow times. According to the city council’s traffic commission minutes of September 19, 2006, Jere said, “if [the red light camera program is] implemented, the public would prefer to have an increased amber cycle,” but he stated that, “the program will not adjust the amber/yellow time.”
Shortly after the investigation became public, red-light cameras were installed in Lubbock. However, after they proved to be both unprofitable (due in part to a new state law giving 50% of the ticket camera profit to the state) and unsafe (accidents increased where the cameras were installed), they were taken down.
5)Nashville, Tennessee
Even without red light cameras, police in Nashville, Tennessee have been earning hundreds of thousands in revenue by trapping motorists in conventional ticket traps at city intersections with the shortest yellow warning time.
In 2006, Nashville resident Joe Savage obtained the data on every red light running ticket issued on Broadway street since 2000. He said that yellow lights are longer at intersections along Broadway until the areas where police are issuing tickets. At those locations, Savage clocked the yellow signal time at less than 3 seconds, in violation of both state law and federal regulations. A local newspaper, The Nashville Scene, then confirmed his findings.
6) Union City, California
In 2005, Union City, California was caught trapping motorists with a yellow signal time 1.3 seconds below the minimum established by state law. As a result, the city was forced to refund more than $1 million in red light camera fines.
The city’s violation came to light after Dave Goodson, an engineer, received a ticket and realized that he did not have sufficient time to stop before the light had turned red. As a result of his inquiries, Union City’s traffic engineers admitted that they had set the yellow signal time at Union City Boulevard and Lowry Road at 3 seconds, despite the state law mandating the time be 4.3 seconds or greater.
Authorities said that the yellow was too short long before the cameras were installed, but that no effective system was in place to verify the timing of the traffic signals despite their direct impact on safety.
Closing Notes:
These are only the cities that have been caught; it’s likely that this happens much more than the general public has been led to believe. Many cities avoid the bad publicity involved with shortening yellow lights by installing the cameras at intersections with inadequate yellow light times from the beginning.
If you or a family member receive an unjustified red-light violation ticket, it may be worth your time to check the yellow light duration at the intersection where the ticket was given out.
Also, if you know of any city currently shortening yellow lights in your area, let everyone know by posting it the comments of this post.
Image Credit: jaqian
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126 Responses to “6 Cities That Were Caught Shortening Yellow Light Times For Profit”
By Thomas on Dec 1, 2008
Add Tucson Arizona to the list. They are scamming big time with really short yellow intervals on left turns on green arrow cams.
2 seconds is way too short.
To make it worse the legal entry point into the intersections are as much as 25 ft beyond the crosswalks at some intersections.
At other intersections the point of entry into the intersection is as short as 2 ft.
That is the point where the camera trigger sensors are located.
Cross that invisible line on red and you get your picture taken.
With offset intersections that invisible line runs diagonally.
There are no visible guides to go by. Most people have traditionally used the crosswalk as a visual reference. If the were beyond the crosswalk the went on through the intersection.
They just flushed common sense down the drain and ATS is making big bucks.
Equal justice under the law just disappeared.
Driving through two different intersections at the same speed with with the light turning yellow at the exact same point; at one intersection you will be cited at another you will not.
By Leslie Matteson on Nov 27, 2008
Huntington Park, California Intersection of Garfield and Southern. The photo clearly shows an attempt to apply the brakes inches behind the limit line. stopping at the second was impossible and dangerous, so i preceeded through the intersection. I have never had a moving violation in 37 years, feel that I have been taken advantage of.
By Tillie on Nov 27, 2008
Very interesting site ! Good work ! Congratulations :),
By raymond on Nov 25, 2008
Ok guys heres one for you I got a ticket in san bernadino, not only is the yellow light too short for a 35 MPH zone but as you can see in the following website
http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/26/2606.asp
take a look at the yellow and red in the picture, they are both on at the same time. Now you may say its only cause the frame caught it well isnt that what happens when they take a frame of you for an infraction what makes the city of san bernadino above the law? And a councilmen claims they are all legal after being warned by the city district attorney.
By charles sterling on Nov 16, 2008
Houston has a series of traffic issues to INCLUDE short yellow lights.
I had a lengthy conversation with the City about Yellow Lights.
The ticket issuing process takes into consideration several aspects to start with the length of time of the Yellow Light.
3.5 seconds is the length previously reported to me that was the minimum time for the light to be Yellow or the reviewing party of that camera strip would void the session and therefore no ticket.
Excuses have been used for years about Helping traffic flow yet the antiquated Traffic Light system, to my knowledge, is still an antiquated system.
As I roam from edge of town to another I find the length of lights vary from the Time of Day to the Day of the Week.
They seem to be also somewhat random making it more difficult to take note of a short cycling light and report it.
Hmmmm! Is the randomness a Plan or just Bad equipment.
Personally, I feel that ALL LIGHTS should be fixed in time.
Perhaps then we could teach the Yankee’s and Foreigners how to traverse the intersection w/o putting our lives at risk - take that risk in your own backyard.
By Jeff on Oct 21, 2008
Sounds like you need a license plate cover and a disguise to wear while driving.
By David Randall on Oct 21, 2008
You can add HOUSTON, TEXAS to this list. I was camera ticketed at an intersection a few weeks ago and noticed the yellow light duration this morning at the same intersection was too short to stop without going thru red, as I was even going under the speed limit. I had to slam on the brakes to stop for the red. Very dangerous! The car behind me screeched it’s tires, then driver shouted obscenities at me. I was lucky I didn’t get hit from behind. Which is worse, car damage and whiplash, or a $75 ticket… hmmmmmm, tuff call. It was the yellow light at Richmond and Dunvale in SW Houston, a lower rent area in which my job is at… yellow light duration of about one and a half seconds, before going red. However, who has the time or the attorney money to fight this $75 dollar scam in Houston. I will miss work by fighting this, thus losing even more money… Anyone else from Houston having this problem?
By Norman on Oct 8, 2008
Here in Palm Coast FL the town is giving out red light camera tickets (at $125. per) as though it was no big deal. I need more info on this and a lawyer that you may know that handles this type of stuff Thanks
By Steve Rowland on Sep 26, 2008
Goldkarma,
I am not an attorney but I would say probably not since by paying the fine you have admidted you commited an offense. If the times were SHORTER then those laid down by the State of California then if it went to court it would have been discharged as no offense was commited. Remember in all these cases the State has its own minimum times laid down which can be significantly diferent to the Federal guidelines. The only Federal laid down time that the State cannot go below is the 3 second one, all others may be shortened.
To be certain your trafic signal is illegal for your State you must contact the States DOT Highway division and get a copy of the rules and regulations regarding unmaned trafic control lights and signs.
Steve
By gldkarma on Sep 25, 2008
I was caught by the too-short yellow light at Union City Blvd. and Lowry in Union City, CA, last summer. I just found out about this after paying the fine and completing the ‘online traffic school from h*ll’ to keep it off my record. It has obviously gotten publicity online and not been contested by the city. Is there anything I can do about it now??
By Russell Roberts on Sep 22, 2008
Beaverton, Oregon, walker rd and cedar hill blvd
the city list the yellow light at 4 sec, I video tape and time encoded it at 3.2 sec at a 35 mph zone
By Russell Roebrts on Sep 22, 2008
I just video tapes the lights last nite and use time coding on the video to show that the yellow lights were at 3:23 sec in a 35 mph zone, and the city list the light set at 4 sec, which is still below recommneded speed from Virginia study.
By Dan on Sep 11, 2008
My wife and I have both received “red light” violations at the same light within the last 6 months. When she told me th elight was too fast, I laughed it off. When I received my ticket, I timed the yello light and it has a 3.0 second duration while all the others around us go fo atleast 4.0 seconds. My questions is how I find what the state regualtion is? I am in Illinois, but cannot seenm to get an answer to that. Any help?
By WCH on Aug 29, 2008
This is only the tip of the iceberg. Unfortunately, until the citizenry raises a much greater ruckus and gets back into control, this creeping revenue enhancement by tickets, fines and threats, for innocuous stuff (video cams with too short yellow lights, exaggerated “failure to stop” at stop signs on quiet, no-traffic, streets, pulling selected individuals out of lines of traffic for trumped up speeding tickets, etc.) will continue unchecked. The municipalities, instead of dealing above board with budget and tax issues, will rely ever more on this revenue.
Fines must be kept from revenue base somehow. It is just too attractive for them.
The latest? Private companies who data mine, AKA bounty hunters, comb the city’s databases looking for ways to jack up revenue, including fines, and penalties for all sorts of stuff, like business licenses, etc. And these companies get a cut of the $$. Never mind if the data is accurate.
I can draw an unbroken line from my office bank account into the pocket of our senator’s billionaire husband’s pocket through no-bid contracts via government agencies for this kind of harassment. It takes way too much resources to fight these ******ds. So they win most of the time by default. Traffic cams are just one small part of the screwing we get on a daily basis.
Kafka was right. So was Orwell. You are living it.
By bcole on Aug 29, 2008
Jefferson Parish (Metairie) La., borders New Orleans East city limit. Since the cameras went up lights are extremely eratic and very short as well as vary in regards to timing. I was doing speed limit at 40 mph, checked mirrors left, right and rear (driving “habit” of mine) looked ahead and light was yellow and directly above me, I gun the engine rather than slam on the brakes and risk being rearended in order to safely clear the intersection and you guessed it, video shows the light turning redwhile under the traffic signal. Here in Louisiana there is no point fighting the ticket as it is common knowledge that the fine soars from $110 to near the $300 mark for the court fees etc… Funny that the company that collects the fine is located in Miami! What bullsiht!!!!!!!!!!!!
By tim leary on Aug 28, 2008
the entire city of santa ana ca has rigged red light cameras.some of the yellow ones were only ony second! [highway robbery intersections]all at erratic intervals
be very carefull on harbor blvd in santa ana.costa mesa too!
ca state law mandates yellow lights be 4.3 seconds or greater .not what i have EYE witnessed. its a machine! no human liar needed. a machine ,electronic device camera is not an eye witness.
take a video cam and see for yourself .i think most of its a trap at night.10 pm to 6.00 am
20 yrs of professional driving,no tickets no accidents but two frickin camera tix in personal vehicle in santa ana .
time to move i suppose
By Bob on Aug 19, 2008
Lucky 225 links should not be used, this is a porn site with an exe, this post should be deleted!
By Stephen G on Aug 17, 2008
L.A. now fining $381 for “rolling right turns”.
http://www.dailynews.com/search/ci_10223947
That is an absolute mis-application of the technology. Red light cameras and recording systems were designed to tell whether or not you passed through an intersection — not to detect if a vehicle came to a complete stop.
This is a bullshit fundraising mechanism for L.A. broke, broken, and currupt municipal political system.
By rose on Aug 4, 2008
I was ticketed by vamera at N hollywood Calif intersection with a yellow light of 3.6 seconds and a red time of 0.2. Do I have a reason to beleive I should not have received this ticket? I feel the yellow seemed short and the grace period should have allowed me at least o.2 seconds.
By Daily is a Mobster on Aug 3, 2008
Chicago, Illinois. They’ve shortened the time of yellow lights and it’s obvious. Reason being: the city is trying to raise money for the 2016 Olympic bid by raping people with red light violations. Let’s face it: Chicago was run by mobsters in the 60’s and now the son of a mobster runs the city, and will until he dies in office. It will come as no surprise then when I say that chicago politicians continue to be CORRUPT! Come see us soon, but only if you have a fat wallet, because we don’t give a shit about the poor. Don’t forget to smile, you’re on mobster camera.