RENTON, Wash. — The Renton Police Department said it is extending a red light camera violation warning period at three intersections.
The extension comes after motorists were discovered running the red lights at an abnormally high rate at South Puget Drive and Talbot Road South, Park Avenue North and Logan Avenue North and Talbot Road South and South Grady Way, officials said Thursday.
The Police Department said cameras were installed at the intersections after receiving numerous complaints about red light runners and a higher than normal rate of accidents at South Puget Drive and Talbot Road South.
Because of a sizable number of warning violations since the red light cameras were installed, Renton city officials said they want to make sure the public has more time to become familiar with the intersections than the 30 days granted for grace periods.
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“Once we started reviewing the warning videos, we were really surprised by the number of motorists running the lights," Renton Police Cmdr. Karlewicz said. "It was far worse than we expected. In the first three weeks of monitoring the warning violations, there were 2 1/2 times more violations at those three intersections as there was in the rest of the city in an entire month.”
“Our No. 1 goal is to make everyone safer,” Karlewicz said.
The city has extended the grace period for the warnings through June 13.
Officials show video example of a motorist who runs a red light below:
Cox Media Group
