Malaga: Good reasons to not skip the red light

Malaga has started a crackdown on red-light runners, starting Monday 22 September. Cameras will catch them and they’ll be fined immediately.

The city has installed six “foto-rojo” devices, a camera system that is integrated into traffic signals and their surrounding. The devices will take pictures of cars that pass through red lights or move before the green light appears.

Two devices are placed at the junction of Jimenez Fraud with Avenida Louis Pasteur at the crossing of the metro. This intersection is notorious for accidents caused by cars that do not obey traffic signals. Four other devices are located along Avenida Valle Inclan. One is at the junction of Camino de Suarez, monitoring both lanes in the east. Two others are at the intersections with Avenida Simon Bolivar.

A press release from the Malaga Council stated that “the idea is to improve safety at these intersections and reduce traffic accidents on these road,”

The “foto rojo” system, connected directly to traffic light controllers, captures up five images of the vehicle and its make, color, and model when it crosses the red light. The system is inactive when it’s green or amber.

Two high-performance cameras, which are synchronised to the traffic light regulators, detect and record violations. Multiple photos of the plate (before, during and after) as well as a short video verification will be recorded for enforcement purposes. The system can be used day or night and uses infrared light to detect violations on both lanes.

The standard fine for jumping a red light in Malaga is €200, which is reduced to €100 if paid within 20 days of receiving notification of the penalty. If there is an error, you have 20 days to appeal (for example, if the photos are unclear, if the camera has technical problems, or if the driver was moving away from an emergency vehicle), The success rate varies, but evidence such as timestamps and witness statements can help.