City is one step closer to red-light cameras

The city has finally chosen a company to run its red-light camera system: American Traffic Solutions, which runs similar systems in cities including New York, Seattle and Philadelphia. HPD recommended American Traffic Solutions to City Council yesterday, and the police department will draft a contract with the company during the next month for Council approval.

ATS was one of four vendors that participated in a month-long test at four downtown and Midtown intersections late last year. During that time, 633 warnings were issued to people who ran red lights — about 20 violators a day (which means Houstonians must have been on their best behavior). Were $75 citations issued during the trial, the cameras would have netted the city about $47,000. Following those statistics, the system could bring in as much as $7.1 million a year once it's in place at 50 intersections.

Supporters of red-light camera systems say they help reduce accidents and increase public awareness about traffic lights; detractors claim they cause more rear-end collisions because motorists will come to a screeching halt rather than be caught by the cameras. In a city where people regularly throw on their brakes for no reason at all, that shouldn't be much of a concern. (In 2005, a study by the Federal Highway Administration found that in seven cities with red-light cameras, side crashes decreased 24 percent while rear-end crashes increased 15 percent.)

Two interesting points about the cameras: Drivers caught by camera will face $75 civil penalties, compared with Class C misdemeanor citations that can carry fines of up to $200 if drivers are pulled over by police officers. And if a camera catches a car running a red light, the citation goes to the car's owner, regardless of who's driving. So as the city works out the contract for the camera system, remember: Never let a cop catch you running a red light and always drive someone else's car.