Four Tartu intersections ranked among the top five locations for red-light violations last year, Maaleht reports. According to police statistics, the highest number of violations occurred near Riia 37 in Tartu (179 violations), near Narva mnt 149 in Tartu (172 violations), near Riia tn 26 in Tartu, (165 violations), at A. H. Tammsaare tee 73 in Tallinn (133 violations) and near Võru tn 3 in Tartu (97 violations).

A clearer picture of actual traffic behavior emerges at intersections equipped with traffic cameras, of which there are two in Estonia, both in Tallinn: near Kristiine Center and on Reidi tee near Russalka. The cameras detect when a driver enters an intersection or pedestrian crossing while the traffic light is prohibiting movement.

While police officers recorded 163 violations during monitoring at the Russalka intersection in 2023, cameras registered 2,002 violations there in 2024. Only drivers who enter the intersection on a red light are counted.

Last year, the traffic cameras at Kristiine recorded 532 violations and those on Reidi tee recorded 964 — a total of 1,496.

Although traffic light cameras are as effective as mobile speed cameras in catching speeding drivers, the state currently has no plans to equip any additional intersections with such systems.

Starting in the spring, Tartu police will instead begin monitoring intersections with a drone during operations. This means no patrol car will be visible near the intersection and drivers will not be stopped until well beyond the next intersection.

"We are working out the tactics," said Argo Arukase, head of the patrol service at the South Prefecture.

Last November, police tested using drones to catch drivers running red lights at the Riia–Ravila intersection and seven violations were identified within an hour.

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