Running a red light will soon be more noticeable when Opelika installs red-light cameras at select intersections.
The Opelika City Council voted unanimously Aug. 6 to authorize the installation of automated traffic-light cameras.
"This is a civil matter, not a criminal matter," said John Seymour, Opelika city administrator. "This is solely a safety measure."
According to Seymour, the cameras will be installed at intersections with frequent accidents or fatalities and can be moved to more accident-prone locations if necessary.
Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller said sensors will be embedded in the road at an intersection in an area referred to as the 'detection zone.' These will detect when a person is running a red light or stop sign.
There will be two stationary cameras positioned diagonally at corners of the intersection.
As a driver runs a red light, the camera positioned behind the speeding vehicle will capture the rear of the car, including a snapshot of its license plate. In most cases, a 12-second video will also be recorded.
A picture of the violator's face will not be captured with this technology.
"The ultimate goal of this legislation is to make our roads safer," Seymour said. "We are not doing this to accumulate any revenue or add more stress to peoples' daily lives. We are hoping this will make people pay attention as they are driving, hence reducing accidents and fatalities."
The photographs and video will be sent to a data center where the red-light violation images are evaluated by a staff of trained technicians.
If the data confirm there was an illegal crossing of a red light, the report is sent for a more intensive review by a trained police officer.
The red-light violations will then be processed, and the resulting citation will be mailed to the violator.
The ordinance requires a public notice of the cameras at least 30 days prior to their installation.
"As we have seen in Montgomery, these camera systems have proven to reduce crashes and fatalities at intersections," Fuller said.
"The only folks who should be concerned with this project are those who have made a habit of running red lights."
Fuller said people will not be prosecuted for running through yellow traffic lights.
There will be provisions for special cases of red-light violations, such as in the case of stolen vehicles or wrecks that may cause a vehicle to slide past a red light.
Students are divided in their opinions of Opelika red-light cameras.
"I really hope cameras are installed near Tiger Town, especially at the Frederick Road intersection," said Jaclyn Wilson, sophomore in marine biology. "That part of town is always scary to drive through."
But while many students travel through Opelika regularly, others may be unaffected by the coming addition.
"Since I do not live in Opelika, I feel that this installation of traffic cameras will have no effect on my daily life," said Alana Jones, junior in nutrition.
Fuller said red-light violators will be fined $60 on their first and second offenses and $100 on their third. They will be given the opportunity to appeal their citation to a municipal court judge and circuit court.
"The cameras are coming--that's a sure thing," Seymour said.
Fuller said the system is set to be operational late this year or early next year.
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