Red Light Camera Ticket Citations


Red light camera tickets are issued when a driver has gone through a red light after the initial delay time. The initial delay time after a red light is a small amount of grace time and is different depending on jurisdiction. If a light turns red immediately as a drivers car is entering an intersection, the initial delay time is supposed to avoid a red light camera from taking a picture. This is done because it is an unrealistic expectation of a driver to be able to stop instantly after a light turns red. Often the initial delay time is .3 seconds.

The first red light camera ticket photo is taken to show the vehicle's position initally during the red light phase. The second red light camera ticket photo is taken within a predetermined amount of time based on how fast the vehicle is going. This amount of time is usually .5 to 1.2 seconds. This photo proves the vehicle's speed and position within a red light camera intersection. Both photos should show the intersection's light being red.

A data bar is laid over the red light camera ticket photos which usually contains 6 sets of data. This can vary depending on the jurisdiction and the red light camera vendor.

For the first red light camera ticket photo the following data is listed

-Time (24 hour format)
-Date (Day, Month, Year)
-Lane number & yellow time preceeding violation in seconds
-Red light time elapsed at beginnng of violation in seconds
-Violation number
-Location code

For the second red light camera ticket photo the following data is listed

-Time (24 hour format)
-Date (Day, Month, Year)
-Interval time between photos in seconds
-Red light time elapsed at second photo in seconds
-Violation number
-Speed



Some red light camera ticket photos can't be used for different reasons. These the most common reasons are:

- 2nd image does not show vehicle through intersection
- Poor lighting conditions
- Loop trigger error
- Unreadable license plate
- Out of State plates
- Vehicle obstruction
- DOT/Police/Emergency/Diplomatic Vehicle
- Car angle
- Image poor quality
- Image out of focus
- Weather related image distortion
- Far lane not in view
- Flash fail
- Invalid license plate
- no DMV match
- Test Image
- 2nd image does not show vehicle
- Stop bar of intersection not painted
- No license plate
- Traffic signal malfunction
- Temporary license plates
- Invalid data bar
- License plate glare
- Vandalism

Fighting a red light camera ticket citation

Depending on the country, state or province, the laws regarding red light camera ticket citations are different. Some laws only require a photo of the vehicle. Other laws require the image of the driver be shown clearly. Check your own local red light camera traffic laws regarding what must be done to prove your innocence. Some or all of the options below may not be possible for you to pursue due to the differing traffic laws.

Do not consider any of the contained information on this page as legal representative advice to be used in any court of law. Redlight Camera List Ltd. will not be held liable for any information in this article.

It wasn't me

If it wasn't you, there are a few options you can consider:

- You may submit a Declaration of Non-liability if you are in the business of renting or leasing vehicles or if the vehicle was sold or reported stolen at the time of the red light camera violation.

- You may submit a sworn statement to that effect to the administrative adjudication hearing officer to rebut the presumption that you were driving the vehicle at the time of the red light camera violation. A administrative adjudication hearing is an opportunity in which you may appear in front of a city-appointed officer and discuss the circumstances surrounding your Notice of Violation. You may schedule a hearing to contest the imposition of the red light camera civil penalty.

Duplicate red light camera ticket citations

If you were already issued a red light camera citation from an officer for the same offense, the citation issued by a police officer takes precedence over the Automated Intersection Safety System Notice of Violation.  You must appear in court with both notices and the Adjudicative Hearing Officer will take the appropriate actions.

I want to see the red light camera ticket citation photo

In the name of privacy some courts or private contractors send out the red light camera ticket without the actual photo. The vehicle owner must go to the courthouse or municipal building to view the red light camera photograph. This can be inconvenient, and in many cases the vehicle owner will pay the ticket without further investigating the red light camera photo. The owner would never be aware if the photo actually showed their vehicle or the driver clearly enough to definitively prove it was them driving the vehicle.

Contesting a red light camera ticket citation

You have the right to contest the imposition of the civil penalty by requesting, in writing, an administrative adjudication hearing by the due date. You must request an administrative adjudication hearing by signing the coupon on the back of the Notice of Violation and mailing it so that it is received by the due date on the notice. You will be notified in writing of the date, time and location of the hearing. If you are found liable after the administrative adjudication hearing or you request a hearing but fail to appear at the time and place of the hearing, you will be liable for the amount of the penalty. If you are found liable for the civil penalty after an administrative adjudication hearing, you will have to pay the civil penalty within the written time frame of the determination of liability.

Do not consider any of the contained information on this page as legal representative advice to be used in any court of law. Redlight Camera List Ltd. will not be held liable for any information in this article.

Proving your innocence at a hearing can be very difficult because of how someone can be found guilty just by saying the wrong words. If you are asked by an officer directly, "Is this you in the picture?" and you respond, you are immediately testifying. A lawyer in most cases would ask that you not testify and let him do the work. Since you do not have a lawyer, you are acting as your own lawyer. You should reply "I would like to speak to a judge." You will usually be given a negative expression or experience from this point onward and must simply insist to speak to a judge. There may even be negative coercive tactics used to get you to respond. As always, remain silent and ask to see a judge.

Prior to being in front of any judge, you must request for the case to be recorded (this the keeps the judge and officer in line with what they are allowed to ask or say in court). When if front of a judge ask him or her to "dismiss for lack of proof beyond a reasonable doubt" that you were the driver. You may also ask the judge "Your Honor, are you sure it's me?" If the judge asks you if you were the driver, you say "Your honor, that's a factual determination for the court to make." If he asks again you should say "Your honor, I'm exercising my right to remain silent."

If the photo is not clear, and there is no way to absolutely prove it is you who were driving the vehicle, the judge will most likely dismiss the ticket. This is one of the few ways that people have successfully contested a red light camera ticket citation. It may not work every time, and can depend on the judge.

Do not say "It's not me!" if you know that it was you driving, as that would be a lie, which is perjury.

Dismissing a red light camera ticket citation

When trying to contest a red light camera ticket citation at a administrative adjudication hearing, the following reasons may be applicable to the person's defense.

- The traffic-control signal was not in proper position and sufficiently legible to an ordinarily observant person.
- The operator of the motor vehicle was acting in compliance with the lawful order or direction of a police officer.
- The operator of the motor vehicle violated the instructions of the traffic-control signal so as to yield the right-of-way to an immediately approaching authorized emergency vehicle.
- The motor vehicle was being operated as an authorized emergency vehicle.
- The motor vehicle was a stolen vehicle and being operated by a person other than the owner of the vehicle without the effective consent of the owner.
- The license plate depicted in the recorded image of the violation was a stolen plate and being displayed on a motor vehicle other than the motor vehicle for which the plate had been issued. (To demonstrate that at the time of the violation the motor vehicle was a stolen vehicle or the license plate displayed on the motor vehicle was a stolen plate, the owner must submit proof acceptable to the hearing officer that the theft of the vehicle or license plate had been timely reported to the appropriate law enforcement agency.)
- The presence of ice, snow, unusual amounts of rain or other unusually hazardous road conditions existed that would make compliance with this article and with the traffic-control signal more dangerous under the circumstances than noncompliance.
- The person who received the notice of violation was not the owner of the motor vehicle at the time of the violation.

I don't want to pay the red light camera ticket citation

Failure to pay the civil penalty or to contest liability after the notice was issued is an admission of liability, and failure to appear at an administrative adjudication hearing after having requested a hearing is an admission of liability and constitutes a waiver of the right to appeal. Failure to pay the civil penalty after receipt of the Notice of Violation shall result in an extra fee and may result in the refusal to renew the registration of the vehicle alleged to have been involved in the red light camera ticket citation. A second notice may be issued. If the second notice remains unpaid, collections proceedings and entry of a judgment against you may proceed.