Carlsbad Cracks Down on Illegal Red Light Changers

According to a press release, "on March 27, traffic engineers and police officers responded to a traffic signal on Armada Drive and detained a driver who was found to be using an 'emergency vehicle preemptor.'  As a result the motorist was cited for the illegal possession and use of the device, and the preemptor and associated parts were impounded." The driver also faces a fine starting at $2000.

Emergency vehicle preemptors are used legally by fire departments in situations where they need to change red lights to green.

Police were contacted two weeks ago when the city transportation staff at the city’s new Traffic Management Center registered an irregularity with traffic signals. After an investigation, traffic engineers found motorists appeared to be using signal preemption devices to change the signals. 

City of Carlsbad Traffic Engineer Bryan Jones explained, "Misuse of the sensor changes the normal cycle of the traffic signal and can disrupt traffic flow for six to eight minutes, causing traffic to back up unnecessarily."

A police press release explained how cameras helped discover the use of these illegal devices: "The city’s new Traffic Management Center is a computerized traffic signal system that includes cameras to detect cars at intersections.  When needed, traffic engineers can use the cameras to watch how vehicles are triggering the sensors and how well a signal is servicing an intersection."

“Anyone thinking of using these devices should know that with this new technology, we can track you, and the Police Department will be enforcing this law,” said city of Carlsbad Police Corporal Robert Shelton.