Automated red light enforcement systems are coming to the roads of Central Bucks County.
Warrington Township police announced on Friday that the municipality will be the first in Bucks County and the third in Pennsylvania to have a “state-of-the-art red light enforcement system that will help make our community safer.”
The red-light cameras are located at two intersections: Easton Road (Route 611) and Bristol Road and Easton Road (Route 611) and Street Road, police said.
“These two intersections were chosen based on a study conducted by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to include the number of violations, the number of accidents (especially accidents with injuries) and the difficulty to effectively and safely conduct “traditional enforcement” at these intersections. Warrington was approved for this program by PennDOT based on their study and our police department being an accredited law enforcement agency,” the department said.
The police department said officials hope the system will cut down on the number of vehicle and pedestrian crashes caused by people running red lights.
“We realize that having police officers handle traffic enforcement personally is the most effective way to alter driver behavior. This practice will continue. The enforcement cameras will assist our officers in controlling traffic while they are in other areas of the Township performing other duties,” police said.
The system is anticipated by officials to become active by the end of January.
The township will offer a 60-day grace period that will come with a warning before citations begin to be issued.
Philadelphia and Abington Township in Montgomery County are some of the few municipalities in the state equipped with automated systems for red light enforcement.
Last year, Bensalem Township gave the green light for the installation of automated red light enforcement systems at two major intersections: Knights and Street roads, and Route 1 and Old Lincoln Highway.
The implementation of automated red light camera enforcement programs often sparks debate. Critics raise questions about the legal validity of the issued tickets and express concerns that these systems are more focused on revenue generation than on traffic and pedestrian safety.
Leave a Comment