The one-year pilot "red-light camera" program launched in June 2006 at four high-traffic intersections in Seattle have reduced the severity of collisions, though the overall number of accidents at these intersections remains the same, according to the city's Department of Transportation.
The city also concluded that the frequency of drivers running red lights has dropped one-third at the intersections where the cameras have been installed, including the eastbound approach at Roosevelt Way Northeast and Northeast 45th Street.
Violations dropped during the winter months before they escalated in the spring, though not to the levels seen before the program; staff will continue to monitor data to see how the seasons affect compliance.
Through May, nearly 14,000 citations were issued, with 70 percent of the cited drivers paying. These citations generated $900,000, which has paid for the camera program.
The city will support the existing cameras into December.
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