Red-light camera coming to Fox Lake

Fox Lake may become the next Lake County town to take pictures of motorists running red lights.

Police Chief Mike Behan said he is pushing to have a red-light camera installed at routes 12 and 134 in an effort to reduce accidents and traffic scofflaws in that area.

The aim would be to use the camera and accompanying signage to force drivers to slow down at the busy intersection that has a history of traffic accidents, Behan said.

"We have an extremely high amount of accidents at that corner because of people running that red light," he said. "And, the accidents there are bad. Out of the last 100 we've had, 92 of them ended with someone going to the hospital."

A growing number of municipalities are using cameras to curb red-light violations. A camera mounted on a pole snaps pictures of the intersection and vehicles. Drivers who break the law are issued a ticket through the mail from the police.

Behan said the problem with the Route 12/Route 134 intersection is an optical illusion is created for drivers heading east on Route 134.

When drivers head over the hill, it seems like there is plenty of time to beat a yellow light through the intersection, he said. However, the stretch of road between the hill and the intersection is longer than people anticipate.

"They speed up to beat the light, but never make it," Behan said. "Then they can't slow down in time and drive through the red light."

Under his proposal, the village would contract with RedFlex Traffic System Inc. in Arizona, one of the largest red-light camera system operators in the country. RedFlex handles accounts in Chicago and will soon install cameras in Gurnee.

Behan said the contract has been approved by the Fox Lake village board, but the project hinges on approval from the Illinois Department of Transportation. Because both Route 134 and Route 12 are controlled by the state, IDOT must sign off on the red-light camera installation. As a result, the camera would not be installed for at least six months.

"But, we are pushing as hard as we can to get one there," Behan said. "This is needed desperately at that intersection."