Frequently Asked Questions Automated Red Light Enforcement Program Arlington, Texas What do I do if I receive a Notice of Violation? How much is the civil penalty? The civil penalty is $75 for each offense. How much time do I have to pay my Notice of Violation? You must pay the civil penalty on or before the due date on your Notice of Violation. The due date for payment is located on the top and bottom right of your Notice of Violation. A late fee will be assessed if the penalty is not paid by the due date on the Notice of Violation. What are my options? There are three options. 1. Pay the $75 penalty. Pay Online. Log on to www.violationinfo.com by entering your Notice number and PIN number shown in the red box on the front right of your Notice. Click the Pay button. A $4.00 convenience fee will be assessed at the time of payment. Pay by Mail. Mail your check or money order (payable to the City of Arlington, Texas) in the enclosed envelope along with the coupon printed at the bottom of the notice. The mailing address is: City of Arlington, Texas Automated Red Light Enforcement P.O. Box 742503 Cincinnati, OH 45274-2503 Pay by Phone. Call toll free 1-866-790-4111 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. There is a convenience fee of $4.00 that will be assessed at the time of payment. Pay in Person. You may pay in person at the Arlington Police Department, 620 W. Division St., Arlington, Texas 76011. Credit card payments cannot be accepted at the Police Department.
2. Contest the Notice of Violation. You have the right to contest the imposition of the civil penalty by requesting, in writing, and administrative hearing by the due date. You must request an administrative hearing by signing the coupon on the back of the Notice of Violation and mailing it so that it is received by the due date on the Notice. You will be notified in writing of the date, time and location of the hearing. If you are found liable after the administrative hearing or you request a hearing but fail to appear at the time and place of the hearing, you will be liable for the amount of the penalty. If you are found liable for the civil penalty after an administrative hearing, you shall pay the civil penalty within 30 days of the determination of liability. 3. Submit an Affidavit of Non-Liability stating you were not driving the car. If your vehicle had been stolen or sold at the time of violation, or otherwise not in your care, custody, or control, you may submit a sworn affidavit to that effect to the Arlington Police Department to state that you were not driving the vehicle at the time of the violation. You may obtain an Affidavit of Non-Liability by visiting www.violationinfo.com or at the Arlington Police Department, 620 W. Division St., Arlington, Texas 76011. This affidavit must be filled out accurately and in its entirety, and it must be notarized. You may submit the completed, signed and notarized Affidavit in any of the following ways before the due date that appears on the front of your Notice of Violation: Mail it to the Arlington Police Department, Automated Red Light Enforcement, P.O. Box 1065, Arlington, TX 76004-1065; or Fax it to the Arlington Police Department at 817-459-5669; or Bring it to the Arlington Police Department, 620 W. Division St., Arlington, TX 76011. A notary is available on site. If you are a rental car company or in the business of leasing vehicles, send a letter providing the name and address of the driver or lessee, along with a copy of the Notice, by the due date on the Notice of Violation to: Violation Processing Center, 209 W. Main Street, Mesa AZ 85201 Visit www.violationinfo.com to view information about your Notice of Violation. You will be asked to enter your Notice number and PIN number which are found on the front of your Warning or Notice of Violation, in the upper right corner, inside the red box. By clicking on the above graphic you will leave the City of Arlington Web site.
Why has the City of Arlington decided to implement the Safe Stop Arlington Automated Red Light Enforcement Program? According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, annually nearly 2 million crashes occur in intersections. In 2005, red light running resulted in 800 fatalities and over 165,000 injuries. It is believed that an automated red light camera program, the Stop Safe Arlington program, will reduce the number of red light collisions and injuries associated with such crashes. The purpose of this program is to increase traffic safety in the City of Arlington. The goal of the program is to reduce red light running violations, red light crashes, and red light injury crashes without impacting city funds. What is a red light running violation? A red light running violation occurs when a motorist enters an intersection after the traffic signal for the direction in which the vehicle was traveling has turned red. Motorists already in the intersection when the signal changes to red, when waiting to turn for example, are not considered red light violators. Where are the automated red light cameras located? Cameras are now, or will soon be, installed at seven intersections based on crash and violation statistics compiled by the Arlington Police Department. Each intersection will be clearly marked with signs. Intersections in the City to be equipped with red light camera systems are: Matlock @ Arbrook Collins @ Sublett Cooper @ 303 (Pioneer Parkway) Watson @ Park Row Watson @ Six Flags Drive Watson @ Avenue H S. Cooper @ S.W. Green Oaks Why did I receive this Notice of Violation? Based upon images captured by the automated system, your vehicle was determined to have committed a red light violation. As the registered owner of the vehicle, the Notice of Violation is mailed to you. If I am in the intersection when the light is yellow and the light changes to red, will I receive a Notice of Violation? No. The automated system only becomes active once the red light is showing. It will not capture a vehicle if the vehicle enters the intersection prior to the light changing to red. If you entered the intersection on yellow, it is legal to clear the intersection if the light turned red while you were still in the intersection. What if I was not the driver/owner of the vehicle at the time of the violation? If your vehicle had been stolen or sold at the time of violation, or otherwise not in your care, custody, or control, you may submit a sworn affidavit to that effect to the Arlington Police Department to state that you were not driving the vehicle at the time of the violation. You may obtain an Affidavit of Non-Liability by visiting www.violationinfo.com or at the Arlington Police Department, 620 W. Division St., Arlington, Texas 76011. This affidavit must be filled out accurately and in its entirety, and it must be notarized. You may submit the completed, signed and notarized Affidavit in any of the following ways before the due date that appears on the front of your Notice of Violation:
Mail it to the Arlington Police Department, Automated Red Light Enforcement, P.O. Box 1065, Arlington, TX 76004-1065; or Fax it to the Arlington Police Department at 817-459-5669; or Bring it to the Arlington Police Department, 620 W. Division St., Arlington, TX 76011. A notary is available on site. If you are a rental car company or in the business of leasing vehicles, send a letter providing the name and address of the driver or lessee, along with a copy of the Notice, by the due date on the Notice of Violation to: Violation Processing Center, 209 W. Main Street, Mesa AZ 85201 What happens if I do not pay the Notice of Violation? Failure to pay the civil penalty or to contest liability by the due date on the Notice is an admission of liability. Failure to appear at an administrative hearing after having requested a hearing is an admission of liability and constitutes a waiver of the right to appeal. Failure to pay the civil penalty by the due date on the Notice of Violation shall result in a late-payment fee of $25. If the second notice remains unpaid, the notice will be sent to collections and may also result in the County Tax Assessor-Collector refusing to register the alleged vehicle. Will my driving record be affected by this violation? No, the civil penalty will not be recorded on the registered owner s driving record. Will my insurance rates be affected? No, the civil penalty will not affect your insurance. Will an arrest warrant be issued? No, a warrant for arrest will not be issued, as this is a civil violation and not a criminal offense. Will the red light cameras take a picture of the driver of the vehicle? No, It is a civil penalty assessed against the registered owner of the vehicle; it is not a criminal violation. Similar to a parking ticket, there is no need to identify the driver and therefore, no need to capture the image of the driver. Is this only a revenue-generating program? No, this is a safety program. Automated red light systems have been shown to reduce red light violations and intersection crashes. Numerous studies throughout the U.S. and worldwide, as well as the experience of many other cities, indicate significant decreases in red light running violations and collisions after cameras were installed. Often times, a spill-over effect results from automated enforcement: other intersections not monitored by automated enforcement also see a decrease in violations and accidents because of the presence of enforcement in other areas of the community. What if I was issued a citation by an officer for the same offense?
The citation issued by a police officer takes precedence over an automated Notice of Violation. You must request an administrative hearing and bring both the citation and the Notice of Violation with you to the hearing. The hearing officer will take the appropriate action. I have received multiple Notices of Violation; do I have to send in a separate payment for each? No, you may send one check in one envelope; however, you must include payment coupons for each Notice of Violation you received. If you received three violation notices, you may send in one check with three coupons and each Notice number written on your check. What if my check bounces? You will be responsible for a returned check fee of $25.00 in addition to any late fees and the original fine amount. You will receive a letter from the City of Arlington detailing the new amount due. Can I get an extension or set up a payment plan? No, extensions and payment plans are not available. There is a five-day grace period after the due date before a late fee will be added. My payment has already been sent; will I still be charged late fees? Late fees will NOT be assessed if your payment is postmarked on or before the due date located on the front of your Notice of Violation. I already paid the violation. Why did I receive another Notice? The Notice you just received could be for an additional violation or it could be a second notice which is now a Delinquent Notice. If it is a Delinquent Notice, your payment and the Notice may have crossed in the mail. It can take as many as 10 business days for a payment to show in the system once it has reached our office. Call 1-866-790-4111 to confirm that your payment was received. I do not believe I ran a red light. How can I view the images and video? Log on to www.violationinfo.com. To log on to the site you must enter the Notice Number and the PIN Number located at the top right of your Notice of Violation If you do not have Internet access, you may visit the Arlington Police Department at 620 W. Division, Arlington, TX 76011 to view the images and video. I do not believe I ran a red light and want to discuss my case with someone. To contest the violation, you must request an administrative hearing in writing on or before the due date listed on the top and bottom right of your notice of violation. To request a hearing sign the coupon located on the bottom of your notice of violation and mail it in the envelope provided. You will receive a letter in the mail stating the date and time you are scheduled to appear. A hearing takes about 15 minutes to conduct. Hearings are held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Arlington Police Department, 620 W. Division, Arlington, TX 76011.
What is an administrative hearing? An administrative hearing is an opportunity in which you may appear in front of a cityappointed hearing officer and discuss the circumstances surrounding your Notice of Violation. As detailed in the ordinance section below, you may schedule a hearing to contest the imposition of the civil penalty. Is there an extra fee for an administrative hearing? No, there is no extra cost to schedule an administrative hearing. A person who is found liable after an administrative hearing or who requests an administrative hearing and fails to appear at the time and place of the hearing is responsible for the civil penalty of $75 and shall pay that amount within 30 days of the hearing date. If, however, after an administrative hearing, you are found not liable, no penalty will be assessed. Do I have to pay the fee on the day of the hearing? No, you have 30 days from the date of a liable judgment to pay the penalty. Can I request an administrative hearing over the phone? No, all requests must be in writing. Can someone other than me attend the hearing? No, only the person(s) named on the Notice of Violation and/or their legal counsel may appear at an administrative hearing. Under what circumstances can this Notice be dismissed? The City of Arlington Ordinance No. 06-074, Affirmative Defenses, defines eight reasons that a Notice of Violation issued under the Arlington Ordinance may be dismissed. The reasons are if: (1) the traffic-control signal was not in proper position and sufficiently legible to an ordinarily observant person; (2) the operator of the motor vehicle was acting in compliance with the lawful order or direction of a police officer; (3) the operator of the motor vehicle violated the instructions of the trafficcontrol signal so as to yield the right-of-way to an immediately approaching authorized emergency vehicle; (4) the motor vehicle was being operated as an authorized emergency vehicle under Chapter 546 of the Texas Transportation Code and that the operator was acting in compliance with that Chapter; (5) the motor vehicle was a stolen vehicle and being operated by a person other than the owner of the vehicle without the effective consent of the owner; (6) the license plate depicted in the recorded image of the violation was a stolen plate and being displayed on a motor vehicle other than the motor vehicle for which the plate had been issued; (7) the owner of the vehicle is an individual (not a business-owned vehicle), the vehicle was being operated by a person other than the owner of the vehicle, and the owner submits to the City by affidavit, on a form provided by the City, or under oath at an administrative hearing the name
and current address of the person operating the vehicle at the time and place of the violation; or (8) the presence of ice, snow, unusual amounts of rain or other unusually hazardous road conditions existed that would make compliance with this article more dangerous under the circumstances than non-compliance. To demonstrate that at the time of the violation the motor vehicle was a stolen vehicle or the license plate displayed on the motor vehicle was a stolen plate, the owner must submit proof acceptable to the hearing officer that the theft of the vehicle or license plate had been timely reported to the appropriate law enforcement agency. Can I appeal the Administrative Hearing Officer s decision? Yes, you may appeal a liable decision by filing a Notice of Appeal with the program coordinator at the Arlington Police Department at 620 W. Division, Arlington, TX 76011. The appropriate forms and instructions will be provided to you by the hearing officer upon a liable decision. You must file a Notice of Appeal within 30 days of the Hearing Officer s findings. If the Notice of Appeal is not filed timely, the right of appeal is waived. What is an appeal? A person who is found liable after an administrative hearing may appeal that finding of civil liability to the Municipal Court of the City of Arlington within 30 days of the date on which the Administrative Hearing Officer entered the finding of liable. An appeal shall be determined by the Municipal Court by trial de novo, or with no jury. Any evidence submitted at the Administrative Hearing shall be admitted by the Municipal Judge in the trial de novo, and the facts must be proven by a preponderance of the evidence. How do I know that these violations are valid? Images of your vehicle were captured and recorded by an Automated Intersection Safety System. The images and video of the actual violation may be viewed online at www.violationinfo.com. The images and video were reviewed by qualified technicians and by the Arlington Police Department before the alleged civil infraction was affirmed and mailed to you as the registered owner or identified driver. What company provides the red light camera program in Arlington? The City of Arlington has contracted with American Traffic Solutions Inc. (ATS) to provide the Automated Red Light Enforcement program. ATS will install and maintain all equipment related to this program and process violations captured by the equipment. ATS is a leading provider of technology and business solutions that support electronic toll and traffic management programs worldwide. For more information about ATS, log on to www.atsol.com.
How does an intersection safety camera work? First image: The A shot is captured from the rear approach showing: the scene of the violation including the back of the violating vehicle in front of the stop line; one or more visible red light signals. Second image: The B shot is also captured from the rear approach showing: the scene of the violation including the back of the violating vehicle after the rear axle has crossed the stop line and the vehicle has illegally entered the intersection; one or more visible red light signals; and a clear image of the license plate of the offending vehicle. License plate close-up: A magnified crop of the license plate is created from one of the two images for easy viewing.
What are the facts about red light running? A crash caused by a driver who runs a red light is more likely to result in serious injury or death. Deaths caused by red light running are increasing at more than three times the rate of increase for all other fatal crashes. More people are injured in crashes involving red light running than in any other crash type. In Arlington, from 2003 to 2006, six fatalities and more than 1,500 collisions occurred as a result of red light violations. Reduction in red light running through a comprehensive red light camera program will promote and protect the public health, safety and welfare of Arlington s citizens. Stop Preventable Collisions Distribution of Injuries from Red Light Running Crashes A-Type Fatal or incapacitating 7% B-Type Nonincapacitating 15 % Property Damage Only - No Injury 53% C- Type Possible Injury 25% Source: 2003 Institute of Transportation Engineers, "Making Intersections Safer: A Toolbox of Engineering Countermeasures to Reduce Red Light Running".
Most people run red lights because they are in a hurry, when in fact they only save seconds. Almost all drivers (96%) fear being struck by a red light runner. A majority of Americans (56%) admit to running red lights. Red light runners can be anyone who drives. One in three Americans knows someone who has been injured or killed in a red light running crash. Red light running is often a result of aggressive driving, and is completely preventable. Sources: Stop Red Light Running, Federal Highway Administration Safety Website: safety.fhwa.dot.gov/programs/srlr.htm.2002. R. A. Retting and A.F. Williams, "Characteristics of Red Light Violators: Results of a Field Investigation," Journal of Safety Research (1996): 27.1, 9-15.
What information supports that Red Light Cameras Do Affect Driver Behavior? In Garland, Texas, crashes caused by red light runners decreased by 56% (from 43 crashes to 19) at the four intersections where red light cameras were installed. Overall, crashes were reduced by 25% and all injury crashes were reduced by 27%. Source: Report on the Effectiveness of Automated Red Light Enforcement, City of Garland Transportation Department, Sept. 2006 From 1994-2005, red light running violations decreased 73% in New York City. Producing Safer Intersections New York City Red Light Camera Program Historical Violations Per Camera Per Day 1994 to 2005 Violations/Camera/Day 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 73% reduction in violations 41% reduction in collisions 35% reduction in fatalities 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Accidents are down 11% in the intersections with red light cameras in Arnold, Missouri according to Police Chief Robert Shockey. At the Rockport intersection located in front of a school, accidents are down 50%. During the first year of operation of the red light camera enforcement safety program in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, red light violations decreased 70 and 88% at two of the intersections where cameras are operating according to State House Speaker John M. Perzel (R-172). Public safety officials in Columbus, Ohio report a 72% decline in red light violations between March and August 2006. Additionally intersections monitored by cameras previously averaged 5 to 14 crashes caused by red light running per year, and since the program was implemented only one crash has been recorded. In Fairfax, Virginia after one year of camera enforcement, violations were reduced by about 40%. Additionally, 84% of its residents supported the use of red light cameras.
Significant citywide crash reductions have followed the introduction of red light cameras in Oxnard, California: 7% overall crash reduction; 29% reduction in injury-related crashes; 32% reduction in front-into-side crashes; 68% reduction in front-into-side crashes involving injury. Charlotte, North Carolina reported the following findings based on a before and after study done at 17 intersections: 37% decrease in angle crashes at intersections with cameras; 60% decrease in angle crashes at approaches with cameras; all crash types reduced by 19%; crash severity reduced 16%. Red light running accidents decreased 30% in the year after red light cameras were installed in Baltimore County, Maryland compared to the prior year. Red light running in Savannah, Georgia has decreased by 45% since installing a red light camera. Source: Red light Cameras: A Proven Method to Save Lives, National Campaign to Stop Red Light Running, www.stopredlightrunning.com/html/redlight.htm.