BILL ANALYSIS SB 1802 Date of Hearing: June 27, 1994 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION RICHARD KATZ, Chair SB 1802 (Rosenthal) - As Amended: July 7, 1994 SUBJECT Automated rail crossing enforcement system DIGEST Existing law requires the driver of a vehicle approaching a railroad šgrade crossing to stop not less than 15 feet from the nearest rail, and not što proceed until he or she can do so safely. This bill: 1) Specifies that this stopping requirement also applies to rail transit š grade crossings. 2) Authorizes a governmental agency, in cooperation with a law enforcement š agency, to operate an automated rail crossing enforcement system which photographically records a driver's responses to a signal or crossing gate, and which is designed to obtain a clear photograph of a vehicle's license plate and driver. Requires signs indicating the presence of the system to be posted so that they are clearly visible to traffic approaching the crossing from both directions. Requires the photographic records to be confidential. 3) For alleged violations, establishes a procedure to mail, within 30 š days, a written notice to appear to the current address of the registered owner of the vehicle. If a person violates the mailed written notice to appear for a period of 15 days or more, authorizes the court to notify the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) of his or her failure to appear. 4) Authorizes the use of this procedure for other violations at rail š crossings including failure of a driver to stop at a traffic signal displaying a red light, failure of a pedestrian to stop at a red light, and failure of a driver to obey other traffic control devices including turn signals. FISCAL EFFECT Unknown. - continued - SB 1802 Page 1 SB 1802 COMMENTS 1) According to the author, motorists driving around, through or under š rail transit gates have been the source of numerous accidents on the Los Angeles Metro Blue Line. Between July 1990 and November 1993, there were 170 accidents at grade crossing with 14 fatalities. 2) In response, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation š Authority (MTA) installed automated enforcement systems at four crossings to demonstrate their effectiveness. These systems use high resolution cameras to photograph the vehicle and the driver. The date and time are superimposed on the photo along with the speed of the vehicle and the time elapsed since the light/signal turned red or the gate began to lower. 3) The film is processed by the system vendor which then checks with the š DMV to obtain information on the vehicle's registered owner. A notice to appear (citation) is printed and sent to the registered owner within 72 hours of the alleged violation. Upon receiving the citation the owner may pay the bail, indicate on the citation the name and address of whoever was driving his or her vehicle at the time, call a 1-800 number for an explanation, or visit the Sheriff's station to view the photograph. 4) There are provisions in the measure to insure the privacy of those š whose photographs are recorded by the equipment, and then used to identify the registered owner using DMV records. 5) The bill would also authorize the use of the mailed citation process š for violations of other provisions of the vehicle code at rail crossings including "running" stop lights, disobeying turn signals, and walking against a red light. SUPPORT California Transit Association Orange County Transportation Authority Southern California Regional Rail Authority Board of Directors OPPOSITION Unknown - continued - SB 1802 Page 2