Traffic and Red Light Cameras in Baton Rouge, LA
Imagine the following: You are going about your usual business on a Monday morning, commuting to work, maybe dropping the kids off at school. You stop at a red light and make a right turn without thinking much about it, but a few weeks later, there’s a notice from the city of Baton Rouge in your mailbox saying you owe $117 for a traffic violation.
At that moment, you become one of the thousands of people living in or visiting Baton Rouge to have received a red-light ticket. Some citizens argue that getting ticketed by a red light camera is unconstitutional, but that belief won’t excuse you from paying the fine. Below is everything you need to know about the matter.
How Does a Red Light Camera Work?
Nearly 22% of all traffic accidents are caused by drivers running red lights, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Using red light cameras is one way in which states and cities are working to encourage drivers to obey these signals.
Red light cameras are automated devices that are connected to sensors in the road. They are positioned on piles to point inward to the intersection, making it so that when a vehicle triggers a sensor when the light is red, one or more cameras will take a photo of it.
Ticketing information is retrieved from the license plate of the photographed vehicle, and a ticket is sent in the mail along with instructions on how to pay it. In Baton Rouge, the fine for a first offense is $117, but an additional $50 may be added for multiple violations.
The city makes it easy for people to head online, search “pay ticket online,” and do so, but you may stop and wonder whether you should. If you think you’ve been ticketed unfairly, you may want to speak with an attorney before making a payment.
When To Fight a Red Light Ticket
If you know you broke the law, the right thing to do is to pay your fine and move on. If you ran a red light and did not cause injury to another driver or pedestrian, consider yourself fortunate.
Nevertheless, there are times when it’s appropriate to challenge the ticket.
Some reasons why you might choose to fight a red light ticket include the following:
- The photo is blurry and doesn’t clearly identify the driver or license plate number
- Someone else was driving your car when the photo was taken
- You have reason to believe the camera was not in good working order
- You can prove you only broke the law because of an emergency
If you do not file the necessary paperwork to petition the ticket and choose to ignore the citation, you will be sent a delinquent notice, and a late fee of $35 will be added to the original ticket’s amount.
Traffic Camera vs. Red Light Camera
Traffic cameras are not used to issue tickets. Instead, they simply monitor the flow of traffic to help civil engineers better manage roadways. You will generally see traffic cameras in use within areas of high traffic, but they are sometimes used in more rural areas as well.
Red light cameras, on the other hand, are used specifically to catch people disobeying traffic laws. Their presence has been shown to reduce many kinds of accidents at intersections, including car, motorcycle, and truck accidents.
Paying a Red Light Ticket in Baton Rouge
The best way to avoid getting a red-light ticket is to stop at all red lights and pay attention to additional signage. If you receive a ticket and want to take care of it, you can pay online, by phone, by mail, or visit the City Court and pay the fine in person.
Just remember that no matter which form of payment you use, the fee must be received on or before the due date shown on the front of the citation. If not paid in time, a $35 late fee will be attached.
Contact Our Car Accident Law Firm in Baton Rouge, LA
If you’ve been injured in an accident in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and need legal help, contact our Baton Rouge car accident lawyers at Palmintier Law Group to schedule a free consultation today.
Palmintier Law Group
618 Main St, Baton Rouge, LA 70801, United States
(225) 344 3735