Starkville drivers could find themselves being watched for red light violations if cameras are installed in certain busy intersections around town.The Starkville Board of Aldermen were full of questions after hearing a presentation at the Nov. 6 meeting from RedFlex Traffic Systems.
RedFlex cameras will be tested in intersections in Starkville where running red lights has become a considerable problem. The RedFlex systems currently under testing in Columbus are the only ones in Mississippi.
Ward 5 Alderman Matt Cox questioned RedFlex representative Charlie Buckels on a number of topics, including the absence of RedFlex cameras in the state.
Buckels made several promises to the aldermen in regards to changes in traffic incidents and violations.
“What we will bring to the community is a change of driving behavior that will reduce red light running by at least 50 percent,” Buckels said.
Cox also inquired about the number of malfunctions RedFlex cameras typically experience.
“Our cameras may malfunction from time to time, usually with electrical outages,” Buckels said. “We can have it back up and running in less than 48 hours.”
Buckels said other malfunctions he has seen included someone wrecking into the pole the camera was mounted on and even someone attempting to shoot the camera with a shotgun.
Cox, who is from Virginia, also inquired about the results of a study done in his home state that showed cameras increased rear-end collisions because people who witnessed the cameras would slam on their brakes to avoid running red lights.
“Most of that study was done without any peer review,” Buckels said. “That’s the only study that’s ever been done in the country that had any indication there might have been additional rear-end collisions.”
Buckels also said the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has addressed incidents such as the ones in Virginia and revealed the faults of the system.
Ward 2 Alderman Jim Mills said he was still on the fence about RedFlex cameras, given that Wisconsin courts had ruled traffic cameras like the ones RedFlex operates unconstitutional and that the cities presented in RedFlex’s brochure were incomparable to Starkville.
“We need to be convinced this is what we need before we go through with it,” Mills said.
If Starkville chooses to sign a contract with RedFlex, the company would set up a video survey of different intersections to view the number of red light violations that occur at each.
Buckels said the intersections that will be surveyed will be those with a viable violation count or prior problems with red light offenders.
“When there’s a large number of violations at an intersection, the chances of violent accidents are increased at that intersection,” he said. “If we’re not going to have any violations, we’re not going to have an effect at that intersection.”
The intersections currently being considered for the survey are intersections along Highway 12 at Spring Street, Louisville and Montgomery streets and Stark Road intersections on Highway 182 at Stark Road and Lynn Lane, and Jackson Street’s intersections with Gillespie and Main streets.
After the surveys are conducted, RedFlex would then host a kickoff program to inform citizens on what to expect if they run a red light at these intersections. During this part of the program, citizens are able to decide the exact point of an intersection, which will be the point where the driver becomes a violator.
When the system is fully adopted, RedFlex will charge a $42.50 fine for the first 100 violations each month. For violations 101 through 150, the fine will become $28, and the remainder of violators for the month will be charged $19.