Red Light Camera Law (Seattle, Kent: school, college, live)

[UNLVCollegeGuy]

Can anyone tell me on the requirement distance between the intersection on where a camera photo enforced is applicable. My friend/roommate travels to Washington for work about once a month and he got cited and he can not find any law or information on what the distance is for signage? Can anyone provide me any information

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Signage? They have to post signs? I think that motorist know there is a camera because you can see it perched up on top of the stop light pole.

Also, drivers should stop for red lights even when there isn't a camera.

[notnamed]

Yeah I remember back in Ohio they had signs letting you know that there was photo enforcement in place. I think that was more of a courtesy warning, not a requirement. I have not seen that here in WA. Other than on the bridge going into Oregon where it says Traffic Laws are photo enforced...and just applies that to the whole state.

[PS90]

In Wenatchee, the red light cameras all have signage warning that they are there. I have no idea what the legal requirements of this are, though.

As oregonwoodsmoke said, the easy way to not have to worry about it is to actually stop at red lights. The law requiring you to STOP at a red light is pretty much universal.

[amaiunmei]

Originally Posted by UNLVCollegeGuy

Can anyone tell me on the requirement distance between the intersection on where a camera photo enforced is applicable. My friend/roommate travels to Washington for work about once a month and he got cited and he can not find any law or information on what the distance is for signage? Can anyone provide me any information

RCW 46.63.170 covers this issue.

Long story short: the state has a standard for signage but it only applies to cities of a certain size OUTSIDE of King County. For the most part, there is no guideline covering distance for signage; the signage only has to follow general WSDOT guidelines covered in chapter 47.36 RCW. Note that the state has no specific distance requirements of signage; that detail is left up to the individual municipality.

The state does not govern King County municipalities at all. If the red light ticket was from a municipality in King County, the municipalities each have individual rules for their respective areas. That is to say, Renton's rules are different from Seattle's rules which are different from Kent's rules. If you are a driver in King County, be advised that no standard state law applies to King County municipalities. So, if you are driving in multiple cities, you need to be aware of multiple standards.

[rantiquity]

Easy solution...just stop at the red light and you won't have to worry about getting a ticket. l feel no compassion for anyone who gets nailed with a ticket for running a red light be it on camera or witnessed by the police.... putting other people lives in danger is not cool.

[pikabike]

So your friend apparently is trying to weasel out of paying the fine. He should just pay it and consider it a refresher course in what a red light means. If the city paid to put a camera at that intersection, then obviously a lot of people were running the light.

[Jumpindogs]

This thread prompted a question in my head. Are camera tickets also sent for not stopping for yellow lights if the car is a certain distance from the light and depending on posted speed when it turns from green to yellow?

Just curious. I practice slowing/stopping for yellows unless it's a hard stop.

[PS90]

Originally Posted by Jumpindogs

This thread prompted a question in my head. Are camera tickets also sent for not stopping for yellow lights if the car is a certain distance from the light and depending on posted speed when it turns from green to yellow?

Just curious. I practice slowing/stopping for yellows unless it's a hard stop.

I can tell you that, when I lived in Wenatchee, I was never cited for running one of the red light camera intersections, but there was a time or two that I was pretty worried that I would be, because I decided to race the yellow.

So no, I don't think that the camera takes the picture until it there is incontrovertible evidence that you are in the intersection when the light is red.

[Botev1912]

Originally Posted by notnamed

Yeah I remember back in Ohio they had signs letting you know that there was photo enforcement in place. I think that was more of a courtesy warning, not a requirement. I have not seen that here in WA. Other than on the bridge going into Oregon where it says Traffic Laws are photo enforced...and just applies that to the whole state.

All traffic lights in Seattle area that have cameras have warning signs. The same with school zone speed limit.