Red Light Camera in Rhode Island

[horizon2]

Tonight I caused the camera for running red lights at intersections to trigger. I immediatly stopped the car and didn't proceed through the intersection. I was probably anywhere between 1-3 feet into the intersection at the time. I was driving my mother's car at the time, so will she be the one issued the ticket?

I've got a couple questions about this incident:

1. What can they issue a ticket for when it comes to running a red light, do you have to actually go through the intersection or can you proceed a few feet and then back up.

2. The camera takes both of the pictures from in front of the car, what do the pictures have to be of to actually prove that I went through the intersection.

3. if I am issued a ticket, is there any way to fight it? I didn't go "through" the intersection.

thanks for the help.

[BOR]

Tonight I caused the camera for running red lights at intersections to trigger. I immediatly stopped the car and didn't proceed through the intersection. I was probably anywhere between 1-3 feet into the intersection at the time. I was driving my mother's car at the time, so will she be the one issued the ticket?

If a violation occurred, yes, she is the one who will be issued the citation, then she will have to plead in court she was not the driver. It is similar to an illegally parked car, it is prima facie evidence the owner is the violator.

I've got a couple questions about this incident:

1. What can they issue a ticket for when it comes to running a red light, do you have to actually go through the intersection or can you proceed a few feet and then back up.

2. The camera takes both of the pictures from in front of the car, what do the pictures have to be of to actually prove that I went through the intersection.

For evidence purposes, the camera is a "silent witness", and can be so called cross examined as a video, as an officer can be on the stand in person. They have to prove what is considered a violation under state law, regardless if an officer witnessed it or a camera.

3. if I am issued a ticket, is there any way to fight it? I didn't go "through" the intersection.

thanks for the help.

Any person has a constitutional right to plead not guilty to the charge.

You need to research some case law on it if you wish. Find the state code in a library, after the running a red light section there should be case note annotations and maybe some helpful legal hints.

[aaron]

Even if you don't go all the way through the intersection, you can still commit a traffic offense:

§ 31-13-4 Obedience to devices. – The driver of any vehicle shall obey the instructions of any official traffic control device applicable to him or her placed in accordance with the provisions of chapters 12 – 27 of this title, unless otherwise directed by a traffic or police officer, subject to the exceptions granted the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle in those chapters. Violations of this section are subject to fines enumerated in § 31-41.1-4.

§ 31-13-6 Specifications and meaning of traffic lights. – Whenever traffic is controlled by traffic control signals exhibiting the words "go", "caution", or "stop", or exhibiting different colored lights successively one at a time, or with arrows, the following colors only shall be used, and the terms and lights shall indicate and apply to drivers of vehicles and pedestrians as follows:

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(3) Red alone or "stop."

(i) Vehicular traffic facing the signal shall stop before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, if none, then before entering the intersection, and shall remain standing until the green or "go" is shown alone, and shall not, prior to reaching the intersection, make any turn over or through private property in order to avoid the signal. A right hand turn shall be permitted after vehicular traffic reaches a complete stop, at intersections when safety would permit the a turn and no sign forbids it. Violations of this section are subject to fines enumerated in § 31-41.1-4.

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