Title: Expanding the capabilities of existing vehicle detection infrastructure to monitor red light running

Authors: Kelvin R. Santiago-Chaparro; Madhav Chitturi; Andrea Bill; David A. Noyce

Addresses: Traffic Operations and Safety (TOPS) Laboratory, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1415 Engineering Drive B245, Madison, WI 53706, USA ' Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1415 Engineering Drive B243, Madison, WI 53706, USA ' Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1415 Engineering Drive B243, Madison, WI 53706, USA ' Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1415 Engineering Drive B243, Madison, WI 53706, USA

Abstract: Understanding the red light running (RLR) at signalised intersections is useful when establishing enforcement programs and safety countermeasures. Unfortunately, acquiring RLR information requires the use of dedicated hardware or time-consuming manual data collection. This paper presents a software-based methodology that monitors the underlying dataset of existing radar-based vehicle detection infrastructure to continuously monitor RLR incidents. Through the use of custom software the trajectories of vehicles approaching an intersection were logged and combined with signal status information. By analysing the position of vehicles and signal status RLR incidents were detected. Statistics computed include the number of red light runners by hour of the day and a characterisation of their behaviour. This research is of interest to enforcement professionals, engineers, managers, and those dealing with budgetary issues since the concepts presented can be applied to obtain critical safety data without the need for new infrastructure investments.

Keywords: red light running; law enforcement; traffic safety; vehicle detection infrastructure; traffic monitoring; road safety; existing infrastructure; radar based vehicle detection; custom software; vehicle trajectories; driver behaviour; jumping red lights.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEME.2015.072553

International Journal of Engineering Management and Economics, 2015 Vol.5 No.3/4, pp.196 - 208

Received: 02 Jan 2014
Accepted: 09 Dec 2014
Published online: 19 Oct 2015 *

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