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Portland police citations for red light runners are declining

Red light citations from Portland police have decreased about 70% since 2019.

PORTLAND, Ore. — There are nearly 1,100 intersections controlled by traffic signals in Portland. While traffic signals help keep drivers and pedestrians safe, KGW viewers have said that red light running is a frequent issue.

The Portland Bureau of Transportation said there are 10 intersections monitored by red light cameras in Portland, mostly along designated high crash corridors. Data from Portland Police Bureau shows that more than 7,000 citations were issued to drivers caught on camera running red lights at those 10 intersections in 2021.

However, citations and warnings issued by Portland police have plummeted about 70% since 2019. The Portland Police Bureau reassigned all but one officer in the traffic division in early 2021 to manage historic staffing shortages.

Credit: PPB

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Red light running is dangerous for everyone. In 2020, 928 people were killed in crashes that involved red light running, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Half of those killed were pedestrians, bicyclists and people in other vehicles who were hit by the red light runners.

The citation for running a red light in Oregon is a class B violation of ORS 811.265 — a failure to obey a traffic control device — and it costs $265.

Credit: KGW

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