The City of Tracy and the Tracy Police Department are working to improve community safety by installing state-of-the-art digital red-light safety cameras to decrease traffic violations and collisions and to help increase safety in our community.

That’s why Tracy has partnered with Verra Mobility to install red-light safety cameras at 6 high-risk locations around the city.

These cameras have been proven effective in reducing crashes and serious injuries. We want to stop this behavior before it becomes even more dangerous, or even fatal. Verra Mobility’s programs across the U.S. gathered 4.6 million red-light citations in 2023, with a recidivism rate of 84%, meaning most violators did not repeat their illegal behavior.

Our red-light safety program helps drivers pay more attention and obey traffic laws when they reach a red light. This is just one of the many tools Tracy employs to keep the community safe.

How the Red Light Safety Cameras Work

Pedestrian collisions and right-angle vehicle collisions often result from running red lights. Studies have shown that such collisions involve more risk of serious injury or death than other kinds of collisions. To reduce these types of collisions, the State of California has adopted laws that allow automated camera enforcement of red-light violations. From a review of photographs and a video recording by an automated red light enforcement camera, law enforcement will determine when a vehicle fails to stop at a clearly marked stop line or at any other stopping point described by the California Vehicle Code 21453. If a vehicle makes a right-hand turn, it must come to a complete stop before making the turn as required by CVC 21453.

Each intersection is outfitted with a high-resolution, high-speed digital camera. The cameras are activated by sensors which are located at the intersection and are only activated when a vehicle is detected by the sensors after the light has turned red. The cameras take three digital photos which document the violation and are mailed with a citation to the registered owner of the vehicle. The program operates 24-hours a day, seven days a week, and in all weather conditions. The system is only activated when a vehicle runs a red light and all intersections with red-light cameras are clearly marked with photo enforcement signs. The Tracy Police Department reviews every violation before a citation is issued. Citations contain images of the violation vehicle before it enters the intersection, while it is in the intersection, the license plate, and the front of the vehicle showing the driver.

Citations are only issued when a vehicle enters the intersection after the light has turned red. If you enter the intersection during the green or yellow light you will not be photographed by the camera system.