Red-light cameras could be coming to more roads in Osceola County

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — Red-light cameras could be coming to the roads of Osceola County

There could soon be more eyes watching cars on the roads of Osceola County.

Right now, only the city of Kissimmee uses red-light cameras.

Channel 9's Racquel Asa learned that county leaders are considering a plan to install cameras at the 10 intersections with the highest number of crashes.

County officials want to be sure that adding the cameras won't cause more crashes.

Commissioners are looking at high-crash corridors in particular. The intersection at Orange Blossom Trial and Pleasant Hill Road had nearly 100 crashes in 2012.

"It's dangerous, it really is," said driver Pamela Pancake.

Pancake said she believes most of the crashes are cause by people too impatient to sit through the traffic and the red lights.

"There are people who will come 60 mph along the side of you and just cut in front of you to get in that turn lane," Pancake said.

The idea of more red-light cameras is still facing resistance from some Osceola County commissioners.

Half of the commissioners Asa spoke with Friday said they are still not convinced the cameras will make a difference, including Commissioner John Quinones, who hasn't changed his position from the summer.

"It just begs for more investigation as to really what are the causes of these accidents and how red-light cameras are going to help," Quinones said.

A new state report said that the cameras have helped in nearly 60 percent of the jurisdictions across Florida.

Asa learned that the red-light camera company is willing to pick up the cost of relocating the cameras in Osceola if they don't have the desired effect.

"We don't want to say they are permanent at one intersection. We can move them, but of course, the citizens who travel those intersections on a daily basis, they will be notified there is a red-light camera coming," said Commissioner Fred Hawkins.

The commission will decide on the issue at a meeting Monday. If commissioners agree to the plan for the red-light cameras, they could start catching violators by this summer.

Each camera will cost the county more than $4,000 a year to operate.

WFTV