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Red-Light Runners: Stop, Look, Listen

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By JOYCE McKENZIE, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 16, 2008

TEMPLE TERRACE - Red-light runners, take heed: You could soon be the target of a photo shoot bound to transform your snapshot smile into a frown.

Temple Terrace City Council is considering a plan to install video cameras to catch motorists who mow through red lights at some of the city's busiest intersections.

Set up by and maintained at the expense of American Traffic Solutions, based in Scottsdale, Ariz., the recorded images of vehicles and their license plates would be transmitted to a company Web site from which the Temple Terrace Police Department could access evidence and, if warranted, could issue citations.

The company would receive a portion of the ticket revenue, and there would be no direct cost to the city.

Red-light running is the leading cause of urban crashes in the United States, Police Chief Tony Velong said at a recent city council meeting. In 2006, it contributed to 123 fatalities in Florida. Between Oct. 1, 2006, and Oct. 1, 2007, the Temple Terrace Police Department issued 244 citations to drivers who ran red lights, and 22 traffic crashes were attributed to such violators.

If the new red-light ordinance receives the council's approval, Velong said, it could curb accidents at intersections where the highest numbers of accidents have occurred. Fowler Avenue and Morris Bridge Road, Fowler Avenue and North 56th Street, North 56th Street and Busch Boulevard, and North 56th and Whiteway Drive are among them.

"The intersections are too large and too congested for a single officer to be parked in a position to see both the red signal and the point where the roadways intersect and still be able to drive through traffic safely to conduct a traffic stop on the violator," he said.

To effectively enforce the red-light violations at large intersections, Velong said, it would take two spotters and four to six patrol cars.

"This would take virtually all of the on-duty patrol units at any given time," he said.
American Traffic Solutions spokesman Greg Parks told the city council that his company's system has dramatically improved the safety of drivers.

"Red-light cameras have proven to be effective in 26 states and more than 30 cities across the country," said Parks, who also noted public opinion polls in Florida show 85 percent of the state's population is in favor of the technology. "It allows more effective use of police officers, and when you get right down to it, this is where the rubber meets the road."

Although Temple Terrace City Council members expressed interest in establishing a red-light enforcement ordinance at their meeting Feb. 5, some questioned City Attorney Mark Connolly on whether they would be within the law should they approve it.

Red-light cameras might be illegal in Florida.

On July 15, 2005, Charlie Crist, then the state's attorney general, issued a statement saying legislation would be required to change the law.

"When an attorney general renders his opinion, it's not been bound by the court," Connolly said in an interview. "The argument is that cities' traffic regulation rules are not the same as the state's uniform traffic laws. Those laws have not pre-empted home rule laws of municipalities."

Connolly said the Panhandle town of Gulf Breeze and the cities of Apopka, Port Richey, Pembroke Pines and others have had cameras in use for some time.

"At this point, there has been no court order to cease and desist," he said.

Council will vote on the issue at its meeting Feb. 19. If approved, signs would be posted warning motorists of the new system that, when up and running, would enable the police department to mail out warnings to the vehicle owners - regardless of who was driving - informing them of red-light infractions, tracked solely by license plate data. Citations would be issued after a 30-day trial period expired.

"I think our top priority is to protect the safety of our citizens," Mayor Joe Affronti said.

Velong agreed.

"I'm tired of telling moms and dads, 'Your son isn't coming home tonight,' " he said.

Reporter Joyce McKenzie can be reached at (813) 865-4849 or jmckenzie@tampatrib.com.

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