Speeding through a red light is not a harmless traffic infraction. Green, yellow, and red traffic lights stationed at intersections are intended to prevent fatal traffic accidents. However, how much is running a red light ticket depends on your state, the location of the red light signal, and your driving record.
Most of the red light camera tickets are issued by cameras fixed at intersections.
Receiving a traffic ticket in Georgia can not only cost you money but you’ll also get points added to your driver’s license that can even lead to license suspension or worse.
In this article, we’ll discuss how red light cameras work, how much is running a red light ticket, red light ticket options in Georgia, and much more.
Table of Contents
- Why are there Red Light Cameras?
- How Do Red-Light Cameras Work?
- How Much is a Red-Light Camera Ticket?
- Georgia Red Light Camera Violation
- Moving Violations Explained
- Georgia Red Light Ticket Costs
- Georgia Driving License Points System
- Georgia Red Light Ticket Options
- Conclusion
- Frequently Asked Questions
Why are there Red Light Cameras?
In America, there’re millions of drivers on the road, and every day, someone happens to run a red light, which costs in the form of thousands of injuries every year.
In simple words, the use of red light cameras aims at discouraging red light running, and they ensure that there’re repercussions for drivers who don’t follow the rules of the road.
Positioning a police officer at every intersection to prevent risky driving when signals are changing is not possible. So, cameras are used to fill the gap.
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Do they actually work as a deterrent? The answer is ‘yes’. Cameras have cut the red light running crash rate of big cities by 21%, as reported by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
Additionally, because of their significant success, many cities and states around the U.S. have fixed cameras at major intersections and on traffic light beams in order to help discourage red light runners.
How Do Red-Light Cameras Work?
Red light cameras are connected to traffic signals and sensors that can sense vehicles as they reach a crosswalk, traffic school line, or complete stop line.
All parts of the red light camera technology are monitored and operated by a computerized system.
The camera takes pictures any time a vehicle doesn’t stop when there’s a red light traffic signal. But we all are aware that technology and computers aren’t perfect.
That’s why it’s practice for every trained personnel to re-examine every picture and video clip before issuing a ticket.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) also notes most cameras provide drivers a ‘grace period’ of approximately half a second after a light turns red.
How Much is a Red-Light Camera Ticket?
The fines for different types of red light violations are;
Finding a citation in the mailbox is surely enough to ruin your day. Red light camera tickets can cost you anywhere from $60 to $1,000, depending on your state, the location of the red light signal, and your driving record.
In some of the states, a red light camera ticket can mean points on your driving license too, and/or an increase in car insurance rate.
In Alabama, for instance, you can be charged a fine of $100 and get three points on your driver’s license or a $100 fine and an addition of No points on your driver’s license.
So, the cost of a red light ticket and the appearance of the ticket on your driving license depends on your state and local laws about red light cameras.
There’re many states where your driving license or car insurance rates aren’t affected by red light tickets at all.
Many places even provide you with convenient payment options, allowing you to pay at your nearest DMV office, submit an online payment, or mail in a check.
No matter how you opt to pay, make sure you do. In some cities, your vehicle registration renewal may be blocked until you pay for your red light ticket.
Georgia Red Light Camera Violation
Georgia is one of the many states that let red light cameras issue citations. The penalties for these are not as harsh as a citation being issued by a law enforcement officer.
These automated red light citations in Georgia aren’t considered moving violations.
A red light camera ticket costs a fee of $70 but doesn’t add any points to your driver’s license. It also cannot be utilized against you for the purposes of your insurance premiums.
You’re just required to pay the $70 fine and it’ll be like it never came about. You can pay your ticket, review the video of your incident, your case, and more online.
Moving Violations Explained
Getting a ticket for red lights violation means a couple of things. First, if your license is at a good level, you’re expecting a fee between $200 and $300, but that’s just the start.
Georgia Red Light Ticket Costs
The fines in Georgia for Red Light Tickets are;
Maximum Violation
It’s not likely but depending on the nature of your red light violation, you could face a maximum penalty for a moving violation, which means paying up to $1000 and imprisonment of 12 months for your red light citation.
Then, there’re the points that will be added to your license.
License Points
When found guilty of a moving violation, there will be an addition of points to your driver’s license, which can lead to an increase in your premiums or worse, as well as a subsequent suspension of your license.
In Georgia, each violation adds 3 points to your license until you’ve not committed any additional violations at the same time.
Georgia Driving License Points System
In Georgia, you can face potential repercussions for accumulating license points. If you’re younger than 21 and accumulate 4 points within 2 years, it will result in a suspended license.
Drivers 21 years of age and older will have their licenses suspended if they rack up 15 points or more within 15 months.
So, you’ve got a ticket, and you’re aware of how much it’s going to cost you, and you know, if found guilty, how many points you’d be facing.
The question is, what options are left with you now? Thankfully, you’ve got several;
Pay the Fine
The simplest option will always be to pay for the ticket, but there’re a couple of other things you should know about doing so.
Firstly, by paying for your ticket, you’re pleading guilty to your violation, which means you’ll need to pay the full amount for all the penalties and court costs, as well as being charged with 3 points to your driver’s license for being convicted of red light violations.
Contest your Ticket
You also have the option to enter a ‘not guilty’ plea with the court and contest your ticket. You can win and get your charges dismissed entirely.
However, you risk spending additional money and time doing so, and there’s no assurance that you’ll succeed.
You should consider having professional representation if you lose your case and will be liable for any additional lawyer and court fees, your original fine. However, you’ll still face an increase in your auto insurance premium.
Red Light Ticket Dismissal: A Defensive Driving Course
You may be eligible to have your ticket dismissed or get up to 7 points removed from your license by taking a defensive driving course.
If you are eligible, you’ll be able to get your ticket dismissed and avoid points being added to your license as well as avoid a potential increase in your insurance premiums.
There’re a couple of simple steps to successfully dismiss your ticket through driver education. They’re as follows: -
- Plead ‘guilty’ or ‘no contest’ to your speeding ticket
- Ask for permission to take a defensive driving course
- Register for a GA DDS-approved defensive driving course
- Complete your course
- Submit your driver record and defensive driving course certificate of completion to the court
Remember that you may take a defensive driving course for ticket dismissal, insurance discount of any and every kind, or point reduction, once every 5 years.
Conclusion
To sum up, the discussion, how much is running a red light ticket depends on your state, the location of the red light signal, and your driving record, and finding a citation in the mailbox is surely enough to ruin your day.
Georgia lets red light cameras issue citations and the penalties for these are not as harsh as a citation being issued by a law enforcement officer. However, these automated red light citations in Georgia aren’t considered moving violations.
If you receive a red light ticket in Georgia, you’ve got options like paying the fine, contesting your ticket, red light ticket dismissal through a defensive driving course, etc.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if you run a red light in Georgia?
For red light violation misdemeanor, the maximum punishment for it is up to $1,000 and/or 12 months imprisonment. While you’ll be fined, judges don’t impose jail.
How many points is a red light ticket in Florida?
Running a red light may cost a $125 fine, with 3 points being added to your license. If caught by a red light camera, then the fine is $158, with no points added to your license.
What happens if you run a red light in Texas?
In Texas, running a red light is 2 points on a driving record. If the action causes an accident, then 3 points are added, and you may have to pay a surcharge for accumulating more than 6 points.
Do you have to pay a red light ticket in NC?
In North Carolina, running a red light is an infraction, and the fine is up to $100, 3 points on your driving record, and/or 3 points on your insurance record.
