Drivers in Ocean County and Monmouth County: Beware of Red Light Cameras
In New Jersey, traffic control signal monitoring systems, also known as red light cameras, are currently in use in a few municipalities throughout the state as part of a pilot program. The municipalities chosen are part of the program because of their histories of traffic violations and accidents related to running red lights. The cameras are mounted on traffic lights and capture images of drivers who run the red traffic signals.
If you are caught running a red light by one of these cameras and receive a traffic ticket, you will be fined $85 if you choose not to contest the citation in court. There are no points associated with being caught by a red light camera. In most cases, it is not worth a driver’s time or money to fight a red light camera ticket in court. The cameras are very accurate and capture clear digital images, and the amount of money one would spend fighting it is more than the $85 the ticket is worth. The only time it might be truly worthwhile to fight a red light camera ticket is if you could potentially lose your job, such as a bus or delivery driving job, because of a traffic violation while working.
How the Red Light Cameras Work
The cameras work by monitoring activity in a given intersection through underground sensors. If a vehicle is detected in an intersection after the yellow light has turned red, the camera turns on and shoots several digital photographs of the car, license plate, and in some municipalities, the driver’s face. This is because in some municipalities, the driver of the vehicle, not the owner, is responsible for traffic violations incurred while operating the vehicle. The photographs are taken almost instantly and provide a clear image of the car in question. In some municipalities, the digital photographs captured by red light cameras are accompanied by a short video clip of the violation, accessible online.
The cameras only engage when the traffic signal is red. In addition to monitoring drivers running a red light, they can also be used to monitor intersections where a right on red is permissible, but only after a complete stop.
New Jersey’s Red Light Camera Statute
N.J.S.A. 39:4-8.15 governs red light cameras and their use. It states that if a vehicle’s owner is charged for running a red light and pays the required fine, he or she can sue the vehicle’s driver, if it’s a different person, for the money lost related to the charge. If your car has been caught by a red light camera and you were not the person driving it, you could have grounds to sue the person who was driving the car when the incident occurred.
The red light camera program in New Jersey is designed to cut down on drivers running through red lights and encourage safer driving habits. Since their installation, they have proven to be a useful tool to regulate traffic in New Jersey.
If you have been falsely accused of running a red light, at risk of losing your job, or had another driver run a red light while driving your car and you now want to recoup the money you were fined, call Villani & DeLuca to learn more about your options. You have rights and, if you have a case against the use of a red light camera, Villani and DeLuca will help you form a plan based on their knowledge and experience with New Jersey laws. Call (732) 965-3350 for your free legal consultation to see if pursuing a case against your red light ticket is worth it. Villani and DeLuca have been proudly serving Ocean and Monmouth Counties since 1996.
Call Villani & DeLuca for Motor Vehicle Violations
If you received a motor vehicle summonses from law enforcement, you need an experienced New Jersey criminal defense attorney to protect you in municipal court. Carmine R. Villani, Esq. has practiced in Ocean County and Monmouth County for over 18 years with experience as a municipal prosecutor, municipal public defender and private criminal defense attorney. Call the criminal defense law firm of Villani & DeLuca, P.C. today to discuss your traffic ticket or motor vehicle summons.
