It is our understanding that if you are convicted of a red light camera ticket in California that it will be placed on your driving record assessed one point.

In California, as in other states that allow automated enforcement, red light cameras are designed to identify someone who runs a red light without depending on the presence of a police officer.

Though how red light cameras are set up may differ in most cases in CA the cameras take four pictures of vehicles that run a red light. The first photo from each camera shows the vehicle prior to entering the intersection after the light has already turned red. The second two photos show the vehicles progression through the intersection while the light is red.

The cameras usually record the date and time of the alleged violation, the location of the occurrence, the speed of the vehicle, and the length of time elapsed since the light turned red and the vehicle entered the intersection. Some cities also have a picture that includes a close-up of the driver's face.

Once the film is processed and a sworn officer of Police Department from the jurisdiction where the offense took place verifies the violation and then a citation along with photos are sent to the vehicle’s registered owner.

From our research it appears each citation for red light running carries a fine of around $350. For example the City of San Diego lists their red light camera citation fine as $321, $143 going to the city of San Diego and $178 going to the state from each ticket.

From what we have read citations from automated enforcements usually are mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle photographed running a red light within 10 to 15 days normally. If necessary, the registered owner/driver may request to see the photographs by calling the number listed on the citation.

In some cities within California if the registered owner was not the driver at the time of the violation, he/she can identify the driver of the vehicle when he/she sees the photographs and the citation will be dismissed. If the registered owner of the vehicle was the driver at the time of the violation, the matter will be referred to the court for adjudication.

If you do not go in to look at the photographs yourself then it appears you can still inform the court or Traffic Bureau that you were not the driver by filling out an "Affidavit of Non-Liability" and identifying the actual driver at the time of the red light running incident. The citation then will usually be re-issued in the name of the correct violator.

The San Diego courts police department notes that failure to pay the fine or appear in court for this violation will result in an additional fine against the registered owner's driver's license.

It would appear that if your vehicle was "flashed" and your relative did run the light then you should be receiving in the mail a citation from the police department presiding over that area within the next couple of weeks. If you want to find out before your relative leaves town if you will receive a ticket you can try contacting the police department directly instead of waiting to see if a ticket shows up in the mail or not.

If you do get a ticket and pay it yourself, instead of filing an affidavit of non-liability citing your relative as the actual driver, then this offense would be placed on your driving record which in turn your insurance company would see the next time they pull your MVR. Whether then this would affect your rates would be up to your insurance company's rating system and since rates vary from one insurance carrier to another, you would need to ask your agent if this type of violation would raise your rates or not.

If our rates do rise you may want to shop around for insurance, you can start here by getting a low cost car insurance quote.