By Alex Corder, JMI Intern and Florida State University Senior in Economics & Business ManagementTags: Safety, Fines, BudgetAs I made my way to work several weeks ago, I stopped by Starbucks to grab some breakfast. After I received my English muffin, I exited the parking lot and approached the light at a nearby intersection. The light turned yellow; however, given that it had been raining all morning so the roads were rather slick, I passed on through the intersection with the light turning red as I did so. I thought nothing of it and went about my morning.Later I noticed an article in the Tallahassee Democrat noting that the red light camera law went into effect that day, July 1. This law is purportedly attempting to make roads safer by taking a picture of red light runners and sending them a ticket in the mail. The article indicated that the operation is expected to bring in about 1.5 million dollars in revenue for the next fiscal year. Which begs the question–is this law really seeking to decrease the amount of danger on our roads or to provide another source of government revenue?There are also other aspects about this operation that are rather unclear. Most notably, how is “running a red light” defined? If you are passing through the intersection, and the light turns red, does that justify receiving a ticket in the mail? If so, how far into the intersection do you have to be to avoid a citation?Another question that must be addressed is the objectivity of the operation. On the morning that I ran through the light, it had been raining, and the roads were slick. Do I risk slamming my breaks and losing control of the car? Or do I just pass through and accept a ticket in the mail? Potentially, this “safer roads” operation could lead to more accidents in the end.With any luck, this law won’t be as subjective and profit driven as it appears, and I won’t find the answers to my questions in the mail with a ticket. With Florida’s citizens already struggling with current economic challenges, taking $1.5 million more dollars in suspect, deceptive fees is excessive.
