Heads-Up From Mayor: 30-Day Warning Period Before Red-Light, Speeding Enforcement Camera Ticketing Begins

NEW HAVEN, CT—Thursday, Mayor Justin Elicker and Transportation Director Haley Simpson were joined by other city and community leaders to announce the beginning of the 30-day warning period for New Haven's newly installed Automated Traffic Enforcement Safety Devices, commonly referred to as red light and speed safety cameras.

The ATESD devices are installed at school zones, pedestrian safety zones, and other locations based on recent crash history and other traffic safety criteria and guidelines, Elicker said.

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What's the difference between cameras?

ATESDs, are traffic safety cameras that catch drivers speeding or running red lights and require approval from the state Department of Transportation and mandatory public hearings.

Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) take photos of rear license plates on passing cars for police investigations.

The New Haven Police Department uses ALPR cameras by manufacturer Rekor and according to police, the department operates approximately 320 of the fixed ALPR cameras, and each police cruiser has ALPR in its cameras.

In common vernacular, often ALPR cameras are referred to as "Flock cameras," which are cameras manufactured by private company Flock Safety.

Today's announcement from city officials was solely about the traffic cameras that clock speeders and red-light runners detect and collect evidence of dangerous traffic violations by taking images that capture the license plate, date, time and location of a vehicle operated by a motorist traveling at an excessive speed or running a red light, according to the mayor.

Next Tuesday, those camera devices at seven locations will be activated with violation warning notices sent to vehicle owners for the first 30 days. On Oct. 15, the warning period ends and tickets will be issued, he said. Tickets are $50 for the first offense and $75 for each subsequent offense.

Devices at eight other approved locations will be installed on a rolling basis, following the issuance of encroachment permits by the state Department of Transportation, Elicker said.

At the site of Thursday's news briefing, at the intersection of Church Street and MLK Blvd., there have been 164 crashes over the past five years, with 20 injuries and one fatality, he said.

The mayor noted it's cheaper than if cops catch a driver running a light or speeding. Elicker said, noting a ticket for running a light given by a cop is $139 and from $162 to $226 for speeding.

The police department doesn't have access to the red light cameras; the data belongs to the city, and the city issues the citations.

Watch the full news briefing here:

The red light and speed safety cameras are the latest in the city's ongoing efforts to improve traffic safety and reduce serious roadway injuries and deaths among all users, in accordance with the city's Safe Routes for All, Complete Streets and Vision Zero initiatives, according to the mayor.