Law enforcement officials from two McHenry County communities are touting the effectiveness of the red-light cameras used to monitor their intersections.
Recent data shows a decline in traffic collisions as well citations issued at four highly traveled intersections covered by cameras in Algonquin and Lake in the Hills.
A red-light camera monitors the intersection of Routes 31 and 62. (Lawerence Synett/Tribune)
Algonquin has four red-camera locations at three intersections — northbound Randall Road at Bunker Hill Drive, northbound Randall at Algonquin Road, westbound Algonquin at Randall and southbound Route 31 at Algonquin.
Initiated in 2008 to help protect the community against the risks of crashes, tickets are issued to motorists caught running red lights or illegally turning right on red. Each recorded violation is reviewed by a sworn police officer before a citation is issued.
A total of 16,955 tickets have been issued the last three years, generating about $1,373,221 in revenue, according to data. In addition, 34 residents have been injured as a result of 284 traffic accidents.
Citations issued, as well as revenue collected, has decreased each year after peaking in 2009 when 7,128 tickets were handed out, equating to about $681,964. Last year, 4,448 tickers were issued and $257,893 was collected in fines — 37 percent and 62 percent decline.
Accidents have also declined by 27 percent to 71 from 98 three years ago.
The cameras have altered driving habits at intersections that are not under surveillance, according to Algonquin police Chief Russell Laine.
“These cameras are changing peoples’ behavior when they approach intersections,” he said. “The numbers are down across the board. Drivers are being more careful.”
Camera statistics are evaluated each year for possible elimination or relocation.
In Lake in the Hills, two red-light cameras were shut down in January 2010 because of a reduction in violations. They were located at the intersections of Hilltop Drive and Algonquin Road and at Randall and Miller roads.
The use of the cameras was always viewed as a pilot program that would never be funded in any way by the taxpayer, said David Brey, chief of patrol services. The decision to remove the camera systems came down to the fact they would no longer be violator funded.
The village now uses cameras at the intersection of Randall and Acorn Lane. A total of 3,763 citations have been issued since 2008, generating about $378,260 in revenue, according to statistics. Those numbers include fines collected at the two other intersections before they were shut down.
After spiking during the first year of existence, with 1,512 tickets and $128,200 in revenue generated, numbers have declined each year.
Citations have decreased 52 percent to 719 last year, data shows. Revenue has also decreased by 55 percent to $58,225.
“These cameras are doing exactly what we thought they would do,” Brey said. “Motorists are starting to slow down and stop instead of trying to beat the light.”
Unlike Algonquin, Lake in the Hills does not issue fines for right-on-red violations. That decision was made because the vast majority of serious accidents involve drivers going straight through the intersection on yellow lights, Brey said.
“It’s not about revenue,” he said. “If it were, we would issue right-on-red tickets. We could do that all day long.”
