Janelle Irwin Taylor
Republican Sen. Jeff Brandes of St. Petersburg has proposed a series of amendments to an omnibus transportation bill that could have a drastic effect on red light cameras throughout the state.
The amendments to Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles’ SB 1184 would reserve red light cameras as a last-resort safety measure at intersections prone to traffic accidents.
“These cameras were initially proposed as programs designed to improve safety, but they’ve turned into nothing more than a back-door tax increase on Florida drivers,” Brandes said. “These programs collect over $100 million annually from Floridians, yet the data shows us that they do not improve safety on our roadways. The reforms proposed today are designed to actually improve the safety of our roadways, and they are based on proven engineering and research.”
The proposed changes are based on recommendations from the Legislature’s Office of Program Policy Analysis and Governmental Accountability and the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. The amendments represent a drastic step back for red light cameras that, as of now, have the green light in localities that choose to use them.
Locally, St. Pete has stopped using red light cameras, but they are still up and running in some neighboring communities such as Gulfport.
The measure would require local governments to establish proven safety precautions such as longer yellow light times and better intersection signs before moving forward with efforts to install red light cameras.
If the intersection was still at high risk for traffic accidents, an engineering study would be required before determining whether a red light camera is warranted.
The amendments to the bill would also allow the state to withhold red light camera revenue from local governments that do not meet the established criteria. That would include submitting crash data to the state from intersections where cameras are installed.
