Red-light cameras returning to Phoenix, Tempe; will they keep us safe?

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Like it or not, Phoenix and Tempe are both bringing back photo enforcement programs to stop people from speeding and running red lights.

Both cities said they’ll be up and running by the end of next year. But will these cameras make us safer?

When you’re driving from Phoenix into Paradise Valley, you’ll likely notice the change. Don’t step on the gas when the light turns yellow because the threat of a ticket here is real.

“It keeps people in check. They’re in good areas,” Kyle Moslow, a Valley driver, said.

“They’re a little unreasonable,” Mohammad, another driver who declined to give his last name, said.

In Paradise Valley, it’s not necessarily officers enforcing the law but the red-light and speed enforcement cameras.

Kathleen Schmitt Foxwell is one of the drivers who has gotten a ticket from these cameras. “I don’t know if it’s really deterring anybody or just making money,” she said.

Shelby Fletcher, another driver who also has gotten a ticket from the traffic cams, said, "It sucks when you get the ticket but I sure pay attention the next time."

Arizona’s Family Investigates asked Rebecca Tomaszewski, the photo enforcement lead with Paradise Valley Police, what she’s heard from the community about the program.

“You know, I think there’s pros and cons. I don’t think anyone wants to get a ticket themselves,” she said.

Paradise Valley was the first in the country to adopt a photo enforcement program in 1987. City leaders argue that the system works and keeps everyone on the road safer—with 50% fewer crashes despite 30% more cars on the road.

“Seeing just our numbers and just how crashes have decreased over time, people really do slow down when they come through here,” Tomaszewski said.

The town has five fixed cameras at intersections and two mobile units. It also posts signs alerting drivers to the cameras. Still, it gives out a lot of tickets—nearly 54,000 in 2023 alone, by its own accounting.

But how does that compare to other cities in the Valley?

Scottsdale issued 63,000 of these tickets that same year, while Chandler, a bigger city, cited just under 8,800 drivers.

“It does change driving behavior. We can all agree it reduces people speeding through those intersections, making sure they stop for those red lights,” Sgt. Ricky Gonzales with Chandler Police said.

However, Chandler’s data tells a different story. The number of crashes at the intersections with these cameras increased in 2023.

Sgt. Gonzales said these red-light cameras could be creating a new problem – more rear-end crashes.

“Whenever you see them, you slow down for them. You make sure you come to a complete stop,” Sgt. Gonzales said.

Scottsdale has had its program for nearly two decades. When Arizona’s Family Investigates asked for crash data, they pointed us to a report the city commissioned in 2017, finding the technology led to a “significant reduction” in accidents.

Attorney Ryan Cummings questioned those findings.

“Someone will slam on the brakes and then they’ll just speed right back up,” Cummings said.

He’s been helping drivers fight these tickets for more than a decade.

“We don’t have enough officers to pay to give these speeding tickets, so let’s just put up these cameras and generate money,” he said about the photo enforcement program.

Arizona Family Investigates wanted to know how much money these cities and towns make.

Chandler received just over $2.8 million, and Scottsdale and Paradise Valley received about $3.1 million.

“There isn’t that much money that comes back. A lot of the money goes right back into the system,” Tomaszewski said.

Consider the typical $250 speeding ticket in Paradise Valley. By Arizona law, 40% of that goes to the state, and another 30% covers the cost of running the program.

Drivers have mixed opinions on all of it.

“What’s the cost of safety, would be my answer to that,” Moslow said.

“They’re charging very high fines for those tickets,” Tyrone Armstrong said. He received one of those red-light tickets.

“I know (from) personal experience when I got my ticket, I will never forget where, and I’m much more observant of them now,” Fletcher said.

Phoenix and Tempe are planning to build on their neighbors' experiences, hoping the threat of a fine will change their driving habits.

See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.

Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.

Do you have a story you want us to investigate? Tell us about it by contacting us.

Copyright 2024 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.