Another effort to put cameras at intersections underway

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

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Mark Wandall was killed by a driver running a red light. His widow is backing an effort to install cameras at intersections.

A Florida state representative and a citizens association are backing a state bill to install cameras at red light intersections.

Melissa Wandall, a Bradenton woman whose husband was killed by a red light runner in 2003, is spearheading the citizens' effort.

Wandall is working with lawmakers to pass the Mark Wandall Safety Act, which is sponsored by Rep. Ron Reagan, a Republican from Sarasota. The act would place cameras at some intersections to catch red light runners.

Wandall's husband Mark was killed when a woman running a red light hit a car he was riding in just one mile away from the couple's home.

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"At that time I was 9 months pregnant," Wandall said. "So I knew at that moment I had to stay calm for the baby."

According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety, more than 43 percent of the state's traffic fatalities and injuries occur at intersections.

"We can't put police at every intersection," Reagan said. "This is purely a safety issue."

Reagan said there are already cameras at toll booths and the red light cameras would be similar. He also said running red lights is a lot more dangerous than running toll booths.

The cameras wouldn't capture the vehicle's occupants, only license tags. Violators would get a $125 fine, but no points against their driving record.

But Henry Stowe from the National Motorists Association believes cameras could make intersections more dangerous.

'What will happen is your rear end accidents will increase," Stowe said. "Your injuries will increase as well."

Stowe said his organization would rather see longer yellow lights and more synchronized signals.

Some cities and counties in Florida already have red-light camera ordinances, but Wandall's group, Florida's Stop Red Light Running Coalition, wants to see statewide uniformity.

Similar legislation has failed three times.