Traffic Cameras

It would be nice if they did. Too many idiots ignoring the lights also seem to ignore other traffic laws as well such as keeping it under the speed of sound. Since the video from these is probably not monitored in real time, there is probably nothing to worry about. You probably have a better chance of getting nailed by a PO that happens to be at the intersection.

Does this type of camera for traffic signal control actually process and record visual images or does it work more like a motion detector and/or distance finder?

They can use these cameras to read your license plates. They can be used to review accidents, pedestrians, etc.. Unless there is some sort of radar camera present I don't think they can determine your speed.

for the clarification pkdmslf. I have seen the youtube videos from speed and red light cameras, but I had never heard before that the signal control devices recorded images. SInce there are so many of these, I am surprised we don't see images from them published now and then. Since they are pointed away from the intersection, I suppose the images are not that interesting or useful.

The cameras at these intersections are capable of being recorded. Certainly some are but I cannot say for certain what percentage. The key reason the cameras are in use is to control traffic. Instead of using sensors built into, beside and along the road to detect the presence of vehicles and movement of traffic the traffic control folks have determined they can do a much more effective job using modern CCTV cameras. And in larger intersections it is more cost effective too. One camera can view a long stretch of road more cost effectively then sensors.

A good quantity of modern cameras have built in video analytics. The cameras are programmed to respond to certain conditions and to output predictable signals (logic, string, metadata) when defined conditions are met (e.g. vehicles are present in their view; vehicles are moving; vehicles have been stopped for a certain time; etc...). It is these signals that the traffic control computers use to calculate when to change lights, or not to change lights.

Some systems use dumb cameras (without analytics) and instead use modern recording equipment to get the analytics computing power then need to feed the traffic computer.

Since video storage is cheap now, it is logical to conclude that more and more of these systems will be doing recording, if for nothing more than to give officers additional validation for determination of who is at fault in accidents that occur within the camera's field of view.

Over the years I've seen several news reports of accidents at certain intersections (some involving LEO's) and they showed video from the traffic cameras at those intersections showing the accidents in progress. Not all intersections here have the traffic cameras, but those that do have the ability to record video.

between having the ability to record and actually doing it. More don't than do.