'Halo' technology prevents red-light runner crashes

PARADISE VALLEY, Ariz. (KSAZ) - Paradise Valley is the only place in Arizona where you'll find the technology being used. It was activated at the intersection of Tatum and Lincoln where police say crashes have been caused by red light runners in the past, including one accident where someone died.

The system called "Halo" uses radar to determine if someone is going to run a red light based on the speed, and then it keeps the lights red for the entire intersection, to keep innocent drivers from being hit.

Starting Monday city officials installed the new technology to try and prevent crashes caused by red light runners. Lieutenant Michael Horn spoke with FOX 10, explaining how the "Halo" system from RedFlex works.

"It will monitor the vehicle's speeds, and if it determines that a vehicle is not going to stop prior to the light turning red, when it gets into that all-red phase it'll hold that all red phase for an extended period of time, to make sure no cross traffic enters into that intersection," said Lt. Horn.

The system will keep the lights red until the red light runner goes through.

"That way the vehicle that is going to blow the red light will be able to enter and pass through the intersection without striking any vehicles," said Horn.

"It's really to save lives, it's about saving lives. That's what is really important," said Maria Wojtczak.

Wojtczak is with the Red Means Stop Coalition, a group with a goal to reduce t-bone crashes at intersections. She's hopeful the new technology will be expanded to other busy intersections.

"Someone's going through their light, and someone's running a red and it's too late, and often there is a t-bone collision that occurs. It's one of the worst collisions that we have out there," she said.

the system also uses photo radar to take pictures of the vehicle running the red light and the license plate, that way the city can send a ticket in the mail.