Ever cut it close at a red light and check your rearview mirror to see if a little camera flash went off? Through the City of Raleigh’s SafeLight program, there are red light cameras positioned throughout the city in areas where angle collisions at intersections have been a prominent + persistent issue. DYK: NC red light camera programs can only be found in Raleigh, Fayetteville, Greenville, and Wilmington.
The City defines running a red light as a violation when a car enters the intersection, or crossing, after the traffic signal has turned red. This means that motorists caught in an intersection when the signal changes to red — for example, when you are waiting to turn — are not red light runners.
Here’s how the SafeLight program works:
🚦 The City of Raleigh manages the program using an automated enforcement vendor.
🚦 Citations are sent to the registered owner of the vehicle and carry a $50 civil fine. This fine was determined by the NC General Assembly in 2001 under Senate Bill 243.
🚦 There is an additional $50 penalty if the fine is not paid or appealed within 30 days after the citation is mailed to the vehicle owner.
🚦 State law requires violation money to only be used for funding the SafeLight program or to support the Wake County Public School System.
🚦 Vehicle owners are responsible for violations unless they can show that someone else was in the “care, custody, or control” of the vehicle when the violation occurred.
🚦 If you are sent a citation, there will be no driver’s license or insurance points added to your license or policy.
🚦 If you are trying to appeal a citation, the SafeLight staff will set up an appointment for the owner of the vehicle with a hearing officer for an administrative hearing. The hearing officer will review the information provided by the vehicle owner and decide whether to withdraw the citation. Check out the citation appeal process here.
🚦 You can check out where every red light camera has been installed throughout Raleigh here.
