Caught in the act?

Thursday, October 13, 2005

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The light is red, but the green pickup truck on the left is still in the intersection.

Sarasota County drivers may want to think twice before gunning it through a red light.

Cameras will soon be installed in at least two intersections to catch red light runners.

Many residents say it's about time.

"I constantly see people trying to beat a light and eventually it winds up to be an accident," said Sarasota County resident Michael Callahan. "I think anything that can be done to help law enforcement, and also in the long run save lives, is a plus."

Cameras will go up at the intersection of Lockwood Ridge Road and 17th Street, along with a yet-to-be-determined intersection in south Sarasota.

Violators will be tracked and the data sent to state legislators.

"The plan is to furnish that data to state legislators before the next legislative session so they will have some information as to the magnitude of the problem," said traffic engineering and operations manager Don Galloway.

Galloway says the county has tried to get legislation passed allowing the cameras for almost a decade, but can't get it through the legislature. He hopes the technology will provide enough information to make red light cameras a legitimate crime-fighting tool.

Because this is only a pilot project, drivers will not be fined if a camera catches them running a red light, but they might receive a warning in the mail, along with a photograph of their car.

Sarasota transportation officials said a similar project took place five years ago and showed almost 70 red light runners per day at the Lockwood Ridge Road intersection.

National studies have shown red light cameras have reduced the number of right-angle crashes.

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