ORLANDO, Fla. -- A controversial decision late Monday could make the city of Orlando a safer place to drive, but it means Big Brother will be watching. The city approved preliminary plans to install cameras that would catch drivers who run red lights.

The red light cameras would be installed at 10 of the city's most dangerous intersections. Red light runners could be ticketed if they're caught on camera.

Citing the effectiveness of preventing accidents in other cities, the council unanimously approved the ordinance late Monday afternoon, but to get it on the books the mayor had to get through a big stop sign put up by the state legislature.

There were 458 crashes caused by red light runners in 2006 in Orlando. Other cities have seen decreases of up to 75 percent in red light-related traffic incidents only one year after installing the cameras. Now Orlando is following suit.

"Anybody who doesn't think this is important should go to a crash scene and watch them cut victims out of cars, just because someone isn't patient. This is preventable! These are all unnecessary deaths that are occurring," said Commissioner Patty Sheehan.

The Florida legislature has been reluctant to give police departments the power to install traffic cameras for the purpose of enforcement, claiming they're concerned about privacy. So Mayor Buddy Dyer detoured lawmakers and instead asked Orlando's Code Enforcement Division to develop a plan for red light cameras.

"The legislature will not authorize the use of cameras through normal traffic enforcement, so we are using our Code Enforcement powers, which are legitimate policing powers of the city," Dyer said.

Orlando isn't home free. The state will not allow the city to place any of their cameras at intersections of state roads in the city. But after six months of study, the council is hoping to give final approval to the ordinance December 17 and have cameras up and running by the first of February.

"There has been widespread support from the program. I think the only obstacle is time and why we haven't gotten it done sooner," said Code Enforcement Manager Mike Rhodes.

The city council is mandating that the program will not be a money maker. Fines will be used only to cover the cost of the equipment. The fines are $125 for the first two offenses and $250 for each there after.

A couple other local governments are also using the cameras to keep you safer on the road. Orange County already has installed red light cameras, but they only send out warnings, not fines. The city of Apopka does send out fines if their cameras catch you running a red light.