Cameras to focus on illegal right turns

Technicians are adjusting the red light camera at 40th Street and Pecos Road, as well as others across the city, to start capturing illegal right turns and issuing citations.

"It's a hazard," said Sgt. Joel Tranter of the sweeping right turns that many motorists make on a red light.

"You have to stop, to make sure its safe," before continuing, said Tranter, a spokesman for the Phoenix Police Department.

Specifically, the law says that a motorist is required to first stop for a red traffic signal, yield to traffic, and then may make a right turn on red when it is safe to do so.

Yielding includes waiting for pedestrians in the crosswalk as well as vehicles that may be approaching.

The cost for violating the law is more than $200, Tranter said.

"That fine is more than a stop sign violation or unsafe lane change because the courts are in agreement that a red light violation causes much more serious injuries," Tranter explained.

The red light camera at 40th Street and Pecos Road was mainly for illegal left turns. Now, the cameras will record illegal left turns on red and vehicles that do not stop at the red light prior to making a right-hand turn.

And it's not just at that intersection. Changes have also been made at 11 other intersections with red light cameras:

- 67th Avenue and McDowell Road

- 35th and Dunlap avenues

- 35th Avenue and McDowell Road

- 27th and Glendale avenues

- 19th Avenue and Thunderbird Road

- 19th and Northern avenues

- 7th and Glendale avenues

- Cave Creek Road and Greenway Parkway

- 7th Street and Bell Road

- 7th Street and Northern Avenue

- 32nd Street and McDowell Road

"These are heavily traveled intersections," said Tranter, who doesn't think the changes will impact most drivers. "Safe drivers, obeying the law, won't have to make any changes."

And for everyone else?

"Consider yourself warned," Tranter said.

Contact writer: (480) 898-7914 or dmurphy@ahwatukee.com.