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Suffolk County: School buses, fuel trucks caught running red lights

Suffolk County officials released Monday video footage showing school buses and fuel trucks speeding through red traffic lights, as well as car crashes, at intersections where red light cameras are located.

The Suffolk County Red Light Safety program, which started last summer, has caught over 98,000 violators, according to county officials.

Some intersections are already becoming safer because drivers are becoming more aware of the red light cameras, county officials said.

The number of multiple tickets issued to the same vehicle drops significantly after two violations:

• 7,650 vehicles with two violations
• 1,135 vehicles with three violations
• 303 vehicles with four or more violations

Tickets are sent to the registered car owner caught running a red light — even if someone else is driving the car — along with a $50 fine and a link to a video of the driver running the red light. Points won’t be added to a driver’s license and there are no car insurance implications, county officials said.

Red light cameras are located at 50 intersections within Suffolk County. This week, the New York State Senate Transportation Committee is expected to vote on legislation that would add red light cameras to 50 more intersections.

Once the cameras are connected to traffic signals, sensors are put in place at the intersection’s stop lines. Those sensors are triggered when a vehicle enters it after the light turns red.

Vehicles entering the intersection when the light is yellow, as well as vehicles making left-hand turns while the light is red, are not captured by the cameras, county officials said.

For more information, visit www.suffolkcountyny.gov/redlight.

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