 Changing technology drives new applications for public safety
Road traffic injuries kill an estimated 1.2 million people each year, making it one of the world’s leading causes of death. Resource-strapped law enforcement agencies are turning to photo enforcement to reduce speeding and red light running, to protect construction crews and children at school bus crossings, and to “train” drivers to make safer choices on the road. This trend is accelerated by the rapid advancement of photo enforcement technology. The availability of high-resolution, high-definition digital still and video imagery has changed the game.
Today, the camera system from ACS, a Xerox Company, provides the smallest camera footprint, capturing eight violations simultaneously in up to 21-megapixel resolution. The camera is designed to include two clear shots of the violating vehicle, license plate and traffic signal light – so violations can be easily confirmed. The system also records the time and date, location code, speed and violation number, along with other pertinent data. This integration of images and violation data results in tamper-proof photographic evidence and eliminates the possibility of data-entry errors.
In addition to still images needed for license plate verification, the camera includes video, which can reduce the number of violations that are contested.
Consider this: the vehicle detection and license plate recognition engine, the web-based software interface, video storage and the server used to transfer the digital files to the back-end operation, are all contained within a single, 11-pound camera.
Although the camera system often gets the attention, the back-end is the heart of the solution. The front-end technology is changing so rapidly that, instead of choosing a single-system provider, cities are turning to systems integrators, like ACS, for flexibility and best-of-breed front-end technology from a variety of vendors. For example, ACS currently supports seven different types of photo enforcement front-end technology with a single back-end interface.
The ACS solution is web-based, so it is easy for clients to access through any computer, laptop or smart phone. In addition, violation information is processed in real-time, not in delayed “batches”.
Changing behaviors, saving lives
There are four components in a typical photo enforcement system: a detection system, a camera system, a communications system and an auxiliary flash.
Images of the violation – and video, if applicable – are captured and downloaded to a back-end server, where they are reviewed twice and sent to police for verification and vehicle identification. Then, the ticket is processed and mailed, and fees are collected.
Consider the benefits of photo enforcement. In Australia, the State of Victoria is legendary for its success, using an aggressive campaign to reduce T-bone accidents by 30 per cent and casualties from those accidents by more than 10 percent, transforming it from the most dangerous to the least dangerous region in the country. In the United States, Oxnard, California, reduced its front-to-side crashes involving injuries by 68 percent in the first four years of the program, even though only 11 of its intersections are equipped with photo-enforcement technology.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority in Los Angeles, California, is using ACS photo enforcement tools to monitor high-traffic rail crossings to capture license plates of motorists who ignore warning lights and crossing arms. Since the system was installed, citations have dropped by 67 percent and fatalities have been reduced to zero.
In Chicago, ACS is part of a first-of-its kind effort to put photo enforcement technology on street sweepers to capture license plates of vehicles parked illegally along the street.
ACS has also developed an innovative solution that protects children entering and exiting school buses. When the school bus stops to release passengers, a “stop” sign automatically extends, signaling for cars to stop while the children move on and off of the bus. The ACS solution involves mounting a camera system on the outside of the bus, so when a car passes the bus while the stop sign is in use, the camera captures a video clip of the car, the license plate and the stop sign on the bus. The video is viewed, violations are identified and owner information is electronically retrieved. Upon web-based approval by law enforcement, the ticket is issued and the information is filed electronically with the applicable court.
Driving results
Today, government agencies and municipalities are forced to be more creative in dealing with public safety challenges. Photo-enforcement systems can be an extension of a police force, reducing calls for emergency medical personnel and most importantly, saving lives. It’s a solution that works, delivering results and making streets safer – with applications extending well beyond the intersection.
For more information
Contact: Shannon Godwin
Tel: 919 796 8222
E-mail:
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Web: www.acs-inc.com |
