Red Light Cameras

There are over 1,000 red light camera locations in the UK. These cameras are designed to flash if the motorist has jumped a red light.

This usually occurs when the lights turn steady amber but the motorist continues when he could have stopped.

The sequence of the traffic lights is RED - stop, RED & AMBER - stop, GREEN - go if it safe to do so, AMBER - stop, RED - stop. You may only continue on steady amber if you have already crossed the stop line or to do so would cause an accident.

If you get caught by a traffic light camera, the normal fine is £60 with 3 points on your licence. Normally the camera is callibrated so that it gives you sufficient leaway if you were close to the line and would have found it difficult to stop in time when driving at the speed limit.

Most red light cameras are triggered when a vehicle passes over a sensor that is embedded in the road and usually it is just after the stop line.. Normally it is set to activate a few moments after the light has turned red (often one second). The camera will then take a photo of the vehicle. A gatso camera will then take another photo one second later.

Some red light cameras are also speed cameras and detect speed of vehicles at all times.