In a clear attempt to reduce the highest possible accident rate in cities, the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) has long since installed, in agreement with the different City Councils, cameras at traffic lights to hunt down drivers who pass these on red. A practically infallible system, but which leaves a certain loophole for certain groups of vehicles.
If an accident par excellence occurs in large cities, it is that of running over pedestrians. The main cause of fatal accidents that we are trying to eradicate and for which there are tools such as traffic light radars. Cameras implanted above these, in really dangerous sections, which try to raise awareness that the rush to go through a red light can cost very dear both for the driver himself and for other actors.
That is why its appearance in all the big Spanish cities, always preceded by a sign that warns of its presence a few meters before. In the style of fixed speed cameras on highways, these signs are placed so that the driver is careful and does not pass the red light in order to avoid a fine… but also a dangerous incident.
This is how traffic light cameras fine
And it is that these cameras or radars are located 25 meters in front of the arrest line in order to get a clear and sharp image with which to demonstrate the infraction. Taking three to five photographs once the traffic light turns red and detects a crossing of its limits, these tests are made in color to show the make, model and license plate of the vehicle.
These systems do not have the capacity to penalize a vehicle that passes the traffic light in amber light
Of course, only taking these photos when the red light is on the traffic light, therefore passing a device in amber does not entail a fine since the cameras do not have the capacity to take snapshots at that time. In addition, its effectiveness also shows whether skipping a traffic light has been to facilitate the passage of an emergency vehicle, since it takes photos of the situation both before and during the passage.
This is the fine for running a red light
But for the most reckless, the municipal coffers keep a nice memory that also entails the loss of points. With a fine of 200 euros and 4 points on the driver’s license, these weapons are among the most intimidating in cities and the ones that generate the most revenue.
Bicycles and scooters cannot be fined
Some fines that are authorized for any vehicle, as long as it has a license plate and is not in an emergency situation. In this way, being an identification camera, bicycles, scooters or similar vehicles without registration are exempt from paying these penalties since there is no way to prove their veracity.
In the same way, they cannot do it on a pedestrian who crosses a red zebra crossing, making it clear that the final intention is to protect them from being run over and risk situations generated by reckless drivers. An action that in 2021 has once again been diagnosed as one of the most dangerous on urban roads, ranking at the head of the main causes of fatal accidents.
Facebook Comments
Disqus