Cameras Discussion View history

Waze supports numerous types of cameras and can provide client alerts when approaching a validated camera installation.

Know your Cameras

Also known as "What is NOT a Red Light Camera".

Before adding any cameras to the Waze map, you must be sure you are accurately reporting a camera installation. Many devices may have similar appearances but very different functions.

The following devices all serve different purposes but may all be installed at the same intersection.

Signal Preemption Systems

Traffic signal preemption is a type of system that allows the normal operation of traffic lights to be preempted, often to assist emergency vehicles. A very common system in the United States is the Opticom™ system by Global Traffic Technologies (GTT).

These devices have a few things in common:

1. They are small and compact
2. They are mounted facing the traffic they are monitoring
3. They are typically mounted on the structures supporting the traffic signals

Traffic Cameras

These cameras monitor the flow of traffic or the depth of a queue waiting for a signal.

Traffic cameras have a few main things in common:

1. They are larger than Opticom type systems, but are still fairly compact
2. They may point in any direction depending on what they are monitoring

NOTE: Traffic cameras may be installed along side of Red Light Cameras to provide additional views of suspected violations. Be sure to validate the existence or absence of Red Light Camera equipment as well.

Red Light Cameras

These cameras monitor an intersection and trigger when traffic proceeds through the intersection on a red signal. One or more approaches to the intersection may be monitored.

Red light cameras have a few main things in common:

1. They have multiple lenses
2. They have an external flash
3. They tend to be bulky
   
4. They have at least some equipment located behind the monitored intersection (there may be equipment on the other side of the intersection as well)
   
5. They are clearly marked