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MEMORANDUM To: Chief Rojas via Chain of Command From: Cmdr.Ibarra Subject: Automated Red Light Camera Background Date: 2 -12 -14 The Santa Ana Police Department has operated an Automated Red Light Camera System (ARCLS) since 2003 through Redflex Traffic Systems who provides equipment and support. There are 297 controlled intersections with tri -phase traffic signals throughout the city. The red light camera system operates at 15 intersections with a total of 20 approaches being monitored in various directions. The monitored intersections were selected based on volume, number of collisions and injuries, and overall pedestrian traffic. On an average day, over 1,850,000 vehicles travel through the 15 monitored intersections, making these intersections some of the busiest in the county. The most active intersection is 17th Street and Bristol Street, which averages approximately 172,000 vehicles per day. A recent study suggests that traffic cameras change drivers' behavior, reduce crashes, and saves lives. In 2011, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) concluded there was a 24% reduction in the number of fatal collisions in the 14 largest U.S. cities using photo enforcement cameras including reductions of 53% in Sacramento, 44% in Santa Ana, 62% in San Diego and 34% in Long Beach. The IIHS study also concluded 159 lives were saved in the 14 cities studied and 800 more lives could have been saved had every large city in the country used photo enforcement cameras. Purpose and Effectiveness The primary purpose of our red light camera program is safety. An internal study conducted by the Santa Ana Police Department's Traffic Division analyzed collisions involving red light violations from 2005 and 2009 and compared the current 15 photo enforced intersection with 15 other non -photo enforced intersections. The study found collisions were down 54% in 2009 compared to 2005, and injury collisions were down 77 %. Within the two intersection groups, the study examined four categories: number of reported collisions, rear -end collisions, red light violation collisions, and number of injuries reported. Reported collisions were down at photo enforced intersection by 1% and up by 27% at non -photo enforced intersections. Rear -end collisions were down 2% at photo enforced intersections and up 32% at non -photo enforced intersections. Red light violation collisions were down at both groups, 54% at photo enforced intersections and down 16% at non -photo enforced intersections. At the photo enforced intersections, injuries were down by 77% and 1 % at non -photo enforced intersections. On average there are 4,000 red light activations captured by our system each month, but only 2,100 violations are submitted to the court. After a potential violation has been captured, the information is sent to Redflex in Phoenix, AZ. The citation is then processed in accordance with the guidelines established in our business rules. Many violations get rejected in this phase because of the established rules. For instance, we do not process incidents involving vehicles with paper plates, motorcyclists wearing full face helmets, drivers with the face more than % P•-