RED LIGHT RUNNING IN IOWA: THE SCOPE, I MPACT, AND POSSIBLE IMPLICATIONS FINAL REPORT Sponsored by the Highway Division of the Iowa Department of Transportation CTRE Management Project 99-49 DECEMBER 2000 CTRE Center for Transportation Research and Education The opinions, findings, and conclusions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Iowa Department of Transportation. CTRE’s mission is to develop and implement innovative methods, materials, and technologies for improving transportation efficiency, safety, and reliability, while improving the learning environment of students, faculty, and staff in transportation-related fields. RED LIGHT RUNNING IN IOWA: THE SCOPE,IMPACT, AND POSSIBLE IMPLICATIONS FINAL REPORT Principal Investigator Ali Kamyab Co-Principal Investigator Tom McDonald Graduate Research Assistant Jason J. Stribiak Undergraduate Research Assistant Brandon Storm Editor Mark Anderson-Wilk Preparation of this report was financed in part through funds provided by the Iowa Department of Transportation through its research management agreement with the Center for Transportation Research and Education, CTRE Management Project 99-49 Center for Transportation Research and Education Iowa State University 2901 South Loop Drive, Suite 3100 Ames, Iowa 50010-8632 Telephone: 515-294-8103 Fax: 515-294-0467 http://www.ctre.iastate.edu December 2000 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................... ix 1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background and Study Objectives ....................................................................................... 1 1.2 Committee Contributions ..................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Report Organization ............................................................................................................. 2 2 LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................................................... 3 2.1 Automated Enforcement....................................................................................................... 3 2.2 Red Light Running Programs ............................................................................................... 4 2.3 Red Light Camera Systems .................................................................................................. 5 2.3.1 35 mm Wet Film ............................................................................................................ 8 2.3.1.1 Lockheed Martin...................................................................................................... 9 2.3.1.2 Aviar, Inc. .............................................................................................................. 12 2.3.1.3 American Traffic Systems ..................................................................................... 13 2.3.1.4 Electronic Data Systems ........................................................................................ 14 2.3.2 Digital Image Cameras................................................................................................. 14 2.3.2.1 RedFlex..................................................................................................................15 2.3.2.2 Driver Safety Systems Ltd. .................................................................................... 15 2.3.2.3 Tecnicon International, Inc. ................................................................................... 15 2.3.2.4 American Traffic Systems ..................................................................................... 15 2.3.2.5 Peek Traffic .......................................................................................................... 16 2.3.2.6 Roper Scientific, MASD (Kodak).......................................................................... 17 2.3.3 Video Cameras ............................................................................................................. 17 2.3.3.1 Nestor, Inc.............................................................................................................. 17 2.3.3.2 Monitron, Inc. ........................................................................................................ 18 2.3.3.3 ATD Northwest...................................................................................................... 18 2.3.3.4 Iteris (Odetics ITS) ................................................................................................ 19 2.4 Legislative Concerns ..........................................................................................................20 2.5 Red Light Running Countermeasures................................................................................. 21 2.5.1 Public Information/Education Campaigns ................................................................... 21 2.5.2 Signal Timing and Phasing Adjustments ..................................................................... 22 2.5.3 Upgrading of Signal Equipment................................................................................... 22 2.6 Summary............................................................................................................................. 23 3 DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS............................................................................... 25 3.1 Signal Violation Data ......................................................................................................... 25 3.1.1 Camera Detection System ............................................................................................ 25 3.1.2 Detection Camera Selection......................................................................................... 26 3.1.3 Detection Camera Operations ...................................................................................... 26 3.1.4 Manual Data Extraction ............................................................................................... 29 3.1.5 Red Light Violation Data ............................................................................................. 30 3.2 Red Light Crash Data ......................................................................................................... 34 3.3 Surveys ............................................................................................................................... 36 iii &75(6XUYH\3URIHVVLRQDO*URXSV........................................................................... 36 81,6XUYH\*HQHUDO3RSXODWLRQ ............................................................................... 36 3.3.3 Survey Results..............................................................................................................37 3.4 Summary............................................................................................................................. 41 4 CONCLUSIONS....................................................................................................................... 43 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................................ 45 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................. 47 APPENDIX A: SAMPLE CIVIL LEGISLATION ...................................................................... 51 APPENDIX B: OBSERVED VIDEOTAPED VIOLATION DATA .......................................... 61 APPENDIX C: GEOGRAPHICAL MAPS OF RAN-TRAFFIC-SIGNAL CRASHES.............. 69 APPENDIX D: CTRE SURVEY FORMS................................................................................... 79 APPENDIX E: CTRE SURVEY RESPONSE ANALYSIS ........................................................ 97 APPENDIX F: UNI SURVEY REPORT................................................................................... 115 APPENDIX G: CONTACTS...................................................................................................... 135 iv LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE 2.1 Data block................................................................................................................. 6 FIGURE 2.2 Camera housing........................................................................................................ 6 FIGURE 2.3 Straight view of license plate. .................................................................................. 7 FIGURE 2.4 Angle view of license plate. ..................................................................................... 7 FIGURE 2.5 First photographs...................................................................................................... 8 FIGURE 2.6 Second photograph. .................................................................................................. 8 FIGURE 3.1 Videotape output. ................................................................................................... 27 FIGURE 3.2 Bettendorf videotape output. .................................................................................. 27 FIGURE 3.3 Typical positions of cameras.................................................................................. 28 FIGURE 3.4 Camera placement on a street light mast arm........................................................