Why don’t you get points from a red-light camera?
Q: I recently received a ticket from a red-light camera. The fine was $50, but no license points, and someone told me that the state isn’t allowed to give points for violations caught by a camera, not an officer. Is this true, and if so, why?
A: Your friend is correct. Per the New York state Vehicle and Traffic Law, a violation caught by a monitoring device “shall not be deemed a conviction as an operator and shall not be made part of the operating record of the person upon whom such liability is imposed nor shall it be used for insurance purposes in the provision of motor vehicle insurance coverage.”
The law additionally limits the financial penalty to $50, though local laws or ordinances may add an additional penalty of not more than $25 if you fail to respond within the prescribed time period.
The purpose of the point system, according to the state Department of Motor Vehicles, is to allow the state to identify and take action against high-risk drivers. Red-light cameras and other traffic monitoring devices are required to avoid identifying the driver, passengers or contents of the vehicle, although a vehicle owner can’t appeal a violation on the basis that a photograph identifies them as long as the county has “made a reasonable effort to comply.”
Because the camera can’t identify the driver, the ticket is sent to the vehicle owner, but no points are assessed.
Q: My question is this: I’m driving in a posted 40 mph zone. And I’m coming up to a new posted speed limit sign of 55 mph. Is there a rule of thumb for when to accelerate to that speed? Before the sign? At the sign? After the sign?
—Paul Byrne, Stephentown A: The speed limit sign denotes where it is OK to go that speed, so you should wait to accelerate until you reach the sign, according to Lt. Robert Donnelly of the Colonie Police Department, traffic safety division. Once you reach the sign, you are free to go 55 mph.
Route 73, Essex County: The state Department of Transportation has announced an
$8.3 million project to replace concrete barriers and portions of guide rail on State Route 73 in the towns of Keene and North Elba. The new railing will allow drivers to better enjoy the scenic views along the route. The project includes a stretch of road along the annual Lake Placid Ironman course; work will be completed by late fall, but will pause during the competition in July.
Route 73 connects I-87 with Lake Placid. Weekday daytime traffic along the work sites is currently operating with alternating flows controlled by flaggers, which will continue through the end of April. After that, traffic will be a single alternating lane controlled by temporary signals.
Have a question about transportation in the Capital Region? Email gettingthere@timesunion. com and include your name, town and phone number or tweet @abigail_rubel.