The prospect of technology costing them a $490 ticket for committing a California rolling stop at one of five intersections where Manteca may deploy red light cameras has more than a few people concerned.

The offense — not coming to a complete stop while making a right turn on a red light or at a stop sign — is likely to end up getting more than a few drivers a ticket in the mail if the City Council on Feb. 20 executes a contract with American Traffic Solutions.

It was one of the biggest concerns council members indicated they received on social media and in conversations with constituents who expressed reservations about Manteca using the technology to reduce intersection collisions that account for almost 1 in every 5 of the city’s 1,000 plus annual traffic accidents.

On Tuesday during the City Council meeting, Councilman Charlie Halford shared he had concerns too with California rolling stops.

But his concerns weren’t with those that thought it might be unfair the Manteca Police Department could use cutting edge technology to issue tickets that would stand up under judicial scrutiny for failing to come to a compete stop on a red light before turning right.

The retired police chief’s concern was with baby strollers.

Or more precisely what happens to a young child in a baby stroller or a pedestrian that gets hit by a bumper of a vehicle moving even at 2 mph.

“I’ve seen my share,” Halford said of his days patrolling Manteca’s streets as a police officer, adding the outcome has serious consequences.

Police Chief Stephen Schluer and company representatives used Tuesday’s meeting to address questions and explain how the system operated.

The public hearing was continued until the Feb. 20 council meeting to allow for additional community input before elected officials take a final vote on whether to proceed.

The concern about California rolling stops earning drivers a ticket in the mail allowed for a bit of re-education regarding the DMV drivers’ manual.

The police chief noted that while California allows right turns after coming to a complete stop on a solid red light if it is safe to do so, it doesn’t allow such right turns on red arrow lights.

And that applies to the curb lane as well as a second turn lane such as on the southbound Highway 99 on-ramp from Yosemite Avenue.

As for the red light technology and running straight through red lights on rolling on a right turn through them, the protocols that trigger system responses that could lead to a possible ticket aren’t put in motion unless the vehicle is moving faster than 10 mph.

That is because unlike previous red light camera systems, the American Traffic Solutions uses radar and the latest high resolution cameras technology.

Twelve seconds prior to the light turning red, the system starts recording traffic as it approaches the intersection.

Still frames are captured if any part of a vehicle intrudes past the limit line — typically the marking of the crosswalk closest to the approaching car — when the light turns red.

Those still frames include ones that zero in in the driver as well as the license plate.

At the same time, the video is “stamped” with the speed the radar reads as the vehicle runs the red light.

The recording continues as the vehicle continues through the intersection.

All if that information is packaged together and forwarded to the Manteca Police Department.

At the police department, a traffic unit officer will look at the information.

They will check the photo of the driver from the camera system against the photo of the driver’s license of the registered owner whose information is on file with the DMV.

With California rolling stop cases, they will do what they would if they were using a ticket in the field — determine if the turn movement, even if the vehicle hadn’t come to a complete stop, justified the ticket.

Schluer said the speed threshold will be pre-determined in a series of protocols the department will establish for officers reviewing the data in each instance.

Once everything meets the standard required to make sure it would pass muster with a judicial review, the officer OKs the company to go ahead and mail a citation with the photographic evidence and accompanying data such as speed, location, and time to the driver.

Typically, 70 percent of the potential red light violations the company cues up for more than 300 client law enforcement agencies results in tickets being authorized.

Schluer said the department’s long range goal is to hire a community service office assigned to the traffic unit that is trained to do the review work in addition to working city streets issuing non-moving traffic citations such as illegal parking and such.

The police chief noted the department will have access to video for up to 30 days before it is erased.

That would, if needed, allow officers to review it in searching for a suspect vehicle that has fled a crime scene and may have passed through a red light camera system,

Tracy is also going to the same system Manteca will use.

And Modesto — that once had red light cameras — is bringing them back using American Traffic Solutions as well.

That’s because American Traffic Solutions has successfully addressed issues assorted with older technology.

And in doing so, they have assured the camera systems are maintained and operated in a manner that has withstood legal challenges that plagued older systems.

The city’s agreement with American Traffic Solutions is cost neutral.

That means the city’s less than 25 percent share of a $490 red light running ticket will go into a specific account.

The city will be billed on a monthly basis by a set amount for each approach to an intersection that will have cameras installed.

The money collected from red light tickets will be moved into an account to cover contract expenditures.

If at the end of the year, the city doesn’t collect enough revenue to cover the accumulated per approach camera charges, the remaining debt is wiped out.

If the amount exceeds the cost, the funds are transferred into another city account to be spent on other law enforcement purposes.

There will be signs installed at the approach to intersections warning there are red light cameras.

Once the camera system becomes operational, there will be a 30-day period where all violators are sent the data collected for running a red light — even if it is a California rolling stop — attached with a warning in lieu of a $490 fine.

mailto:dwyatt@mantecabullerin.com