Red-light cameras go live in Modesto. How much will violations cost?
Modesto’s new red-light camera program is officially underway, with the first automated enforcement camera going live March 2 at eastbound Briggsmore Avenue at Coffee Road.
The launch begins a 30-day warning period that runs through March 31. During that period, drivers captured running a red light will receive a warning notice by mail rather than a citation. Beginning April 1, drivers who run red lights at monitored intersections will face a $485 citation, according to the Modesto Police Department.
The cameras will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Vehicles captured failing to stop at a red light will have their license plates recorded, and the violation will be reviewed by law enforcement before a citation is issued, officials said.
The city contracted with Verra Mobility, a traffic safety technology company, to administer the program.
Modesto Police Chief Brandon Gillespie said the cameras are intended to deter dangerous driving behavior.
“Red-light cameras are about changing behavior, not writing tickets,” Gillespie said in a statement. “Consistent accountability encourages drivers to slow down and make safer choices.”
Ten intersections were selected for installation:
- Eastbound Briggsmore Avenue at Coffee Road
- Eastbound Sylvan Avenue at Coffee Road
- Eastbound Briggsmore Avenue at Carver Road
- Eastbound Pelandale Avenue at Carver Road
- Northbound Oakdale Road at Briggsmore Avenue
- Southbound McHenry Avenue at Standiford Avenue
- Northbound El Vista/Oakdale Road at Scenic Drive
- Northbound North Carpenter Road at Kansas Avenue
- Northbound Ninth Street at G Street
- Westbound Yosemite Boulevard at South Santa Rosa Avenue
Modesto’s crash rankings
State traffic safety data show Modesto has ranked high in crash rates compared to similar-sized California cities.
According to the California Office of Traffic Safety’s most recent published rankings, Modesto placed among the highest in the state for total fatal and injury collisions relative to cities of similar population size. In 2022, the city ranked at or near the top in multiple categories, including overall fatal and injury crashes and alcohol-involved collisions.
The rankings compare 61 California cities of similar size using statewide crash data.
City leaders have pointed to those statistics as part of the rationale for implementing additional enforcement tools.
Modesto City Council reaction
City officials said the program is intended to reduce crashes and serious injuries by improving compliance with traffic signals.
Councilmember Jeremiah Williams said the city’s traffic safety record made action necessary.
“The data has been questionable and not very good for our community with traffic fatalities and accidents,” Williams said. “Anything we can do to slow us down, to help us recognize that there are consequences for our actions — whether it’s good, bad or accidental — helps us think about another individual’s life that could be at risk because we’re in a hurry.”
Williams said the city will measure the program’s effectiveness through the data collected at the monitored intersections.
“The city will know it’s working based on the data that comes in from those traffic cams,” he said.
He also emphasized that red-light violations can endanger more than just drivers.
“Someone could be standing at a stoplight or crossing the street and get hit because a car was struck,” Williams said.
Addressing concerns that automated enforcement is designed to generate revenue, Williams rejected that characterization.
“The revenue will never match the life of an individual who is injured or killed in a traffic accident,” he said. “It’s not about the dollars. It’s about saving lives.”
Williams added that modern driving habits and distractions contribute to risky behavior behind the wheel.
“Our society is speed-driven,” he said. “Everything is go, go, go. We’re always in a rush. Anything that helps slow us down and reminds us there’s a penalty can help.”
