By Nokware Knight
Lawrence Township officials are debating a course of action regarding red light camera at the intersection of U.S. 1 and Bakers Basin Road/Franklin Corner Road after the first-year data showed accidents had increased at the intersection since the camera was installed.
The increase in accidents and accusations that the township was using the red light camera as a revenue generating scheme have been some of the complaints cited by residents.
Earlier this year, police chief Dan Posluzny released statistics covering the first 12 months, December 2011 to November 2012, the camera was installed. Total accidents jumped from 38 during the previous year to 50 during the duration of the study, a 31.6 percent increase. Rear-end accidents increased from 30 to 39, a 30 percent increase.
However, total citations dropped from 1,330 in December 2011 to 516 citations in November 2012, a 61.2 percent drop overall.
The total amount in ticketing fees assigned at both intersections dropped from $145,439 in January 2012 to $87,615 in November 2012. During the same time period, the average fee per citation increased from $153.90 to $169.80. Fees reached a high of $193,618 and an average of $297.87 per citation in September 2012.
On March 4, Lawrence Township municipal manager Richard Krawczun met with American Traffic Solutions, the company that supplies the camera. The plan was to discuss the results of the data and future use of ATS’ red light cameras. Although Lawrence signed a 5-year contract with ATS, the contract stipulates that it can be cancelled any time upon mutual agreement between the township and ATS.
According to Krawczun, the township is still weighing its options.
“They’ve provided some options that we’re going to be reviewing with our engineer,” he said.
Posluszny also said the township planned to meet with and seek input from the New Jersey State Department of Transportation as a next step.
Over the past few years, there has been pushback against red light cameras across the state.
In July of 2012, red light cameras statewide had stopped issuing tickets for one month because they said they had to recalibrate the traffic lights and make sure there was the correct amount of time for when the light was yellow.
In February the Chicago Sun Times reported that, “In December, ATS reached a settlement that’s expected to give as much as $4.2 million in partial refunds—$8.50 per plaintiff—to roughly 500,000 red-light runners in 18 New Jersey towns.”
Also in February, a bill was proposed that would stop traffic cameras from issuing tickets on right turn on red at traffic camera intersections. Complaints included claims that the amber light was not long enough and did not give motorists sufficient time to clear the intersection.
Larger studies have continued to monitor the effects the cameras have had on traffic when used over an extended period of time.
In 2009, the DOT began a statewide program similar to Lawrence’s study. The program’s second and most recent annual report summarized findings in areas where cameras had been operational for at least one year prior to Dec. 31, 2011.
Like the Lawrence study, the frequency and severity of accidents increased during the 12 months after a red light camera is installed.
But, spanning a two-year period, the frequency and severity of accidents decreased significantly from the time the cameras were installed.
For data covering a 12-month period, total crashes recorded were up 0.9 percent, and increased in severity.
For locations with two years of data, total crashes decreased by 57 percent (with all categories of crashes decreased across the board), and decreased in severity. Citations decreased by 50 percent in the first year, and by 85 percent across the entire two-year time period.
But there’s a catch.
Of the 26 intersections and nine municipalities included in the study, only two locations, both based in Newark, had collected two years or more worth of data.
The long-term effect of red lights cameras may be clearer once Lawrence and other municipalities have two years worth of data to analyze.
