As a traffic researcher, I have timed over 50 Chicago traffic signals and found all them at camera-equipped intersections to have less than the federally required three-second yellow phase minimum as proven by video tape analysis (instant replay). Federal guidelines require a minimum of three seconds of yellow light time to maintain safe intersection traffic flow. Not only doesn’t Chicago provide the bare three second minimum of yellow, but swindles drivers out of at least another second or two by denying them of their perception/reaction time and signal timing based on the 85th percentile speed rule. Couple this with the lack of properly maintained white stop lines, traffic signals, camera warning signs and high traffic flow counts, drivers have very little chance of not violating the ordinance. Drivers are even cited for legal right turns on red even if they do come to a complete stop. Illinois state law does not provide for a certain length of time to be stopped, even a nanosecond is legal (1 billionth of a second). The state only requires the complete cessation of all forward movement. The video resolution and frame rate used by Chicago’s cameras tends to discount brief stops since they operate at a slower frame rates.
In all the posted comments there has been no mention of any traffic engineering studies! That's astounding! Non-political traffic engineering will reveal if there is really a red light violation problem. Most red light camera violations are for right turn on red, are statistically low accident rate. Red light cameras provide revenue at the cost of motorist and pedestrian safety, indpendent studies prove this. And at the loss of due process, presumption of innocence and when yellow lights are shortened to insure revenue, it's fraud. More citizens should shoot video of suspected traffic signals and time the yellow with the camera's digital frame counter as proof of illegal cameras. I live in the Chicago area the red light ticket capital of our country. No red light camera referendum on has every survived a public vote. We were successful in removing one in Schaumburg, IL which pulled in $1M in 96 days! see motorists.org
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Red Light Ticketing Cameras
As a traffic researcher, I have timed over 50 Chicago traffic signals and found all them at camera-equipped intersections to have less than the federally required three-second yellow phase minimum as proven by video tape analysis (instant replay). Federal guidelines require a minimum of three seconds of yellow light time to maintain safe intersection traffic flow. Not only doesn’t Chicago provide the bare three second minimum of yellow, but swindles drivers out of at least another second or two by denying them of their perception/reaction time and signal timing based on the 85th percentile speed rule. Couple this with the lack of properly maintained white stop lines, traffic signals, camera warning signs and high traffic flow counts, drivers have very little chance of not violating the ordinance. Drivers are even cited for legal right turns on red even if they do come to a complete stop. Illinois state law does not provide for a certain length of time to be stopped, even a nanosecond is legal (1 billionth of a second). The state only requires the complete cessation of all forward movement. The video resolution and frame rate used by Chicago’s cameras tends to discount brief stops since they operate at a slower frame rates.
RLC
In all the posted comments there has been no mention of any traffic engineering studies! That's astounding! Non-political traffic engineering will reveal if there is really a red light violation problem. Most red light camera violations are for right turn on red, are statistically low accident rate. Red light cameras provide revenue at the cost of motorist and pedestrian safety, indpendent studies prove this. And at the loss of due process, presumption of innocence and when yellow lights are shortened to insure revenue, it's fraud. More citizens should shoot video of suspected traffic signals and time the yellow with the camera's digital frame counter as proof of illegal cameras. I live in the Chicago area the red light ticket capital of our country. No red light camera referendum on has every survived a public vote. We were successful in removing one in Schaumburg, IL which pulled in $1M in 96 days! see motorists.org