It's a traffic enforcement conundrum.
For a lone police car to pursue a red-light runner, it would have to run the red light, too. That creates dangers for other drivers and the officers.
Now, new blue light technology mounted on the back of traffic signals is allowing officers to observe, pursue and stop red-light runners without running the light themselves. Blaine Police are the latest to try out blue lights at intersections along Hwy. 65 where most of the city's crashes occur. The department will see whether increased stoplight enforcement reduces accident rates.
In late 2013, the Blaine Police Department learned about the blue light program at the quarterly meeting of Toward Zero Deaths, a statewide program aimed at minimizing traffic fatalities. The Maplewood and Burnsville Police have used blue lights for several years.
Officers position themselves "downstream" from the traffic signal. The blue light indicates when the light has turned red. When drivers run a red light, officers can make the traffic stop. The blue lights also increase efficiency, because a single officer can work stoplight enforcement more safely.
The new blue light program is a coordinated effort between the Blaine Police Department and the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
Shannon Prather • 612-673-4804
