Canarian Weekly
Red-light trap for
careless motorists
SANTA Cruz Council has commissioned a “Red-Photo” trap for wayward drivers at traffic lights in the Miramar area of Ofra in Santa Cruz.
Zaida Gonzalez, Santa Cruz First Deputy Mayor, and Councillor for Citizen Security, Traffic and Mobility, said: “The device will detect and penalise drivers who do not respect their obligation to stop when the traffic light is on red.
“The goal is to ensure that drivers respect traffic lights, especially in an area frequented by pedestrians because the surroundings, plus the neighbours there, are teaching, sports and social centres.”
From now on, if drivers continue to snub the traffic lights when they turn red, they face a 200-euro fine, and four points deducted from their licence.
Gonzalez also spoke of the dangers of skipping a red light, “especially for pedestrians, who have preference at these crossings because it could cause serious accidents”.
The councillor said the “red photo” had been installed at that point in the capital following the request of neighbours, and the road-safety data about the area.
She added: “It is very worrying that, during the 3½-month testing period, some 5,152 violations were detected there.
“This figure means that the average daily violations at the traffic light during this trial amounted to 50 cases.”
But that will surely change - and extremely quickly because of the penalties imposed on offenders.
The “red-photo” warning will remain installed on the main road of Rosario, at the height of Miramar and downstream, as it has been verified as the most dangerous point.
Specific signs to warn drivers of the control system have been placed along the route,and no wonder. According to 2015 data held by the local police in Santa Cruz, there were 221 accidents in the municipality for drivers' lack of respect concerning traffic signals.
The Council's installation of these devices follows good results in other Spanish cities. And images, videos and photographs, which capture drivers offending, will be formalised as sanctions and validated by the local police.
Red-light trap for
careless motorists
SANTA Cruz Council has commissioned a “Red-Photo” trap for wayward drivers at traffic lights in the Miramar area of Ofra in Santa Cruz.
Zaida Gonzalez, Santa Cruz First Deputy Mayor, and Councillor for Citizen Security, Traffic and Mobility, said: “The device will detect and penalise drivers who do not respect their obligation to stop when the traffic light is on red.
“The goal is to ensure that drivers respect traffic lights, especially in an area frequented by pedestrians because the surroundings, plus the neighbours there, are teaching, sports and social centres.”
From now on, if drivers continue to snub the traffic lights when they turn red, they face a 200-euro fine, and four points deducted from their licence.
Gonzalez also spoke of the dangers of skipping a red light, “especially for pedestrians, who have preference at these crossings because it could cause serious accidents”.
The councillor said the “red photo” had been installed at that point in the capital following the request of neighbours, and the road-safety data about the area.
She added: “It is very worrying that, during the 3½-month testing period, some 5,152 violations were detected there.
“This figure means that the average daily violations at the traffic light during this trial amounted to 50 cases.”
But that will surely change - and extremely quickly because of the penalties imposed on offenders.
The “red-photo” warning will remain installed on the main road of Rosario, at the height of Miramar and downstream, as it has been verified as the most dangerous point.
Specific signs to warn drivers of the control system have been placed along the route,and no wonder. According to 2015 data held by the local police in Santa Cruz, there were 221 accidents in the municipality for drivers' lack of respect concerning traffic signals.
The Council's installation of these devices follows good results in other Spanish cities. And images, videos and photographs, which capture drivers offending, will be formalised as sanctions and validated by the local police.
I was stopped once and the PC asked why ? I said i thought nobody was looking,