For those wondering what this is all about, this legislation is out there to get them to pull the red light cameras down and then it will be withdrawn.  That is not what is brought out in this story but I spoke with someone who there who knows the law maker and knows what is really going on...LOL.
 
Steve
 
 


Right now, Tennessee state law requires drivers to come to complete stop before turning right on red.  But, some Tennessee lawmakers want to change that and allow drivers to roll through, as long as they yield to traffic.

"The law that requires you to stop at a red light was put in place for good reason. If those reasons have changed, then we need to hear from the traffic engineers," said Vince Dean.

Representative  Dean is the vice chair of the state's Transportation Committee. He says the law needs to be standardized across the state to be effective.

"Where you find a problem is, what your definition of slowing down is before turning right on red, and my definition of turning right on red before stopping may be two different things," said Dean.

But even if this law is repealed, it won't affect you if you're driving through the city of Chattanooga. Whether you decide to come to a complete stop, or roll through the red light as you turn right, the city cameras in Chattanooga don't ticket for that.


"The biggest factors are T-bone crashes,  and you're not really going to see a T-bone crash on a right on red. In looking at everything, that wasn't our problem," said Sgt. Gary Martin.

Since the cameras were installed in 2007, fatal accidents have declined in Chattanooga.
Sgt. Gary Martin with the Chattanooga Police Department says while other cities, like Red Bank do ticket for rolling through a red light while turning right, Chattanooga cameras take pictures, which are later tossed out.

"If we did do right one red, the numbers would be a whole lot higher. [...] They come in, but they're rejected," said Sgt. Martin.

Martin says that rolling through the right turn doesn't create a hazard in most Chattanooga intersections because of their design.

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