Cameras on traffic lights?

This morning I was driving to work, I approached a set of lights near a school. I checked as I approached and they were green, I carried on going when I got nearer they turned amber but I think it was just before I crossed the line. I was travelling slow (due to the amount of traffic) so may have been able to stop but I didn't notice until I went to cross the line, which makes me think it'd only just turned amber. The car behind me stopped, I know there's a little black camera attached to the top of the traffic light, is this for people who skip red lights? It didn't flash but I don't know if I made it through the light before it turned red?



I could just be overreacting because I haven't been driving that long and am worrying. I didn't set out to skip a red light and have definitely learnt my lesson where traffic lights are concerned!! Any sensible answers would be much appreciated.



I'm in the UK.Cameras on traffic lights?
Its a sensor dont worry about it.



The traffic light cameras are big yellow boxes (like speed cameras) just before the lights and they flash.
Thank you very much! Just put my mind at ease!

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Cameras on traffic lights?
shouldnt worry about it....sometimes its safer to go through on amber than slam your brakes on.
Don't panic, the "red-light" cameras are the same as speed cameras, big yellow/grey boxes that flash, and they're only active once the light has turned to red, not amber. What you saw was probably a traffic-management sensor.Cameras on traffic lights?
Traffic cameras will go off if you are anywhere in the intersection at the time of a red light. However. if the photo was taken and it was clear that you were already in the intersection when the light turned red, the ticket is void. Like said, sometimes it is safer to jump a yellow light, then to stop for it. Traffic cameras, specifically redlight cameras, are designed to take 2 pictures, the first when the vehicle enters the intersection on the red, and the second when you are in the middle of the intersection. It is set up like this so if both photos are taken the ticket is valid, but if only the one is taken (from when you were already in the intersection) it is not valid, and is cassified as clearing the intersection. I'm not 100% sure if it is the same in the UK, but this is how it is in Western Canada.
Relax, Your'e OK - The camera can back up a policeman who may be on the scene at the time, but what it can't possibly do is detect whether it would have been dangerous for you to stop, given that the lights were changing from amber to red. So the camera on its own isn't enough to press a charge.
These are sensor's for emergency vehicles, the flashing lights trigger the sensor and turns them to green so the vehicle can pass
There are two types of box seen near or on top of the traffic lights. The small black box on top of the traffic light that looks like a small CCTV camera is in fact a sensor for the working of the lights.

Cameras that are located next to traffic lights that look like speed cameras are the ones used to capture red light runners.

In the centre of London they use a different type of CCTV camera set up that records real time the event in junctions etc. They use number plate recognition software to identify drivers and normally automatically send out fines.
dont worry, you are allowed to go through amber lights if yuou dont have enough time to stop for them, which you didnt. i dont think those little black cameras are for peple than run reds, just for traffic surveilance. its the big orange and grey buggers you need to look out for.



dont worry about it, you have not breached the highway code.
well here in California as long as ur rear tires are past the crosswalk ur ok. most of the cameras dont work here they are just for show.
Hi exactly the same thing happened to me only last week, and i spent ages worrying about it.

The little camera looking things on top of the lights are not for taking pictures they are sensors for the traffic.
Wouldnt worry about it. Traffic lights usually have a sensor on them which helps with traffic flow. It wont have been a camera.