Photo Enforcement Programs in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley
Many of the cities in the Phoenix metro area are using photo enforcement programs to curb speeding and red light running on their streets. Photo enforcement has proven to be successful at improving traffic safety by helping prevent collisions and reducing damage to people and property when they do occur. A MVA lawyer in Scottsdale, AZ can advise a victim’s family regarding legal claims and remedies.
In 1987, the Paradise Valley Police Department implemented photo traffic enforcement following concerns over steadily increasing accidents. In the prior year, there had been 400 reported traffic collisions. After the photo enforcement was implemented there was a 42% decrease in collisions.
In 2013, a Public Safety Task Force requested an expansion to the photo enforcement program. When the expansion was completed in 2017, there were 208 collisions reported in Paradise Valley. A 50% reduction of traffic incidents from 40 years prior was significant, especially when considering the increase in population and traffic during that time. There are five permanent photo enforcement locations in Paradise Valley.
The City of Scottsdale has used a photo enforcement system since 1996, Scottsdale recently assessed speed and crash data from their photo enforcement intersections, and decided to deactivate two photo enforcement locations and add four new intersections safety cameras.
Photo enforcement systems on Thomas Road eastbound at Hayden Road and McDowell Road eastbound at Scottsdale Road will be deactivated.
Four new systems will be activated at:
- Scottsdale Road southbound at Pinnacle Peak Road
- Shea Boulevard westbound at 92nd Street
- Frank Lloyd Wright westbound at Greenway-Hayden Loop
- Indian School Road westbound at Hayden
City traffic engineers analyzed an aggregate of collision, red light running and speeding violations, the severity of collisions and traffic volume data to determine which cameras to deactivate and which new locations needed cameras. A 2017 study showed that overall crashes had decreased by 24 percent, and crashes related to red light running had decreased by 35 percent at Scottsdale intersections with photo enforcement. A MVA lawyer in Scottsdale, AZ can advise a victim’s family regarding the Arizona laws allowing for recovery of damages.
Both Paradise Valley and Scottsdale’s fixed intersection safety cameras operate 24/7 and capture both red-light violations and those exceeding the speed limit by 11 miles per hour or more. A car traveling at 40 MPH will take a total of 135 feet from the time they recognize an emergency to come to a stop, but a car traveling at 51 MPH will take a total of 236 feet. The car traveling at 51 MPH faster is only exceeding the speed limit by 28%, but it will take that car 75% longer to come to a stop. Shorter stopping distances mean fewer and less severe collisions.
The number of pedestrians killed on the roads across the country was the highest in almost 40 years. Numerous solutions have been proposed and implemented, including reducing speed limits and street light improvements.
A MVA lawyer in Scottsdale, AZ can investigate the causes of a crash, if there is negligence investigate the insurance coverages that may apply, a free consultation should be provided. Contact the Law Office of Paul Englander, PLC today.