The Legislature finds and declaresthe following:(1) Accident data establishes that vehicles running red lights have beenand are a dangerous problem in the City of Phenix City.(2) Studies have found that automated traffic camera enforcement in amunicipal area is a highly accurate method for detectingred light violations and is very effective inreducing the number of red light violations and decreasing the number oftraffic accidents, deaths, and injuries.(3) Current Alabama law provides that failing to stop and remain stopped at a traffic-control signal which is emitting a steady red signal is a criminal misdemeanor. Under Alabama law one who commits such amisdemeanor is subject to prosecution only if the misdemeanor was witnessed byeither a duly empowered police officer or other witness who makes a verifiedcomplaint to a sworn magistrate.(4) Many jurisdictions have adopted laws that allow use of automatedphotographic traffic enforcement, and the Legislature finds that it shouldadopt legislation implementing a program for automated photographic enforcementof traffic signal violations; whichthe Legislature finds is consistent with this

and the Legislature finds that it shouldadopt legislation implementing a program for automated photographic enforcementof traffic signal violations; whichthe Legislature finds is consistent with this subpart.(5) By allowing a program for use of automated traffic cameras in trafficsignal enforcement by the City of Phenix City, the Legislature hopes to both decrease the rate of traffic signalviolations and learn more about the effectiveness and fairness involvedin the use of the automated systems.(Act 2012–326, p. 758, § 2.)