Mayor Makes Announcement On Red Light Cams

Orange County will soon start sending out tickets for drivers caught running red lights on camera. Ten new red light cameras will be installed at intersections across the county.

Mayor Teresa Jacobs announced more about the program on Monday. She said getting caught will cost violators $158.

Cameras have recorded devastating proof of how dangerous running a red light can be. Now, Orange County is turning to red light cameras to avoid dangerous crashes.

"This program is not about collecting fines. It's about preventing injuries. It's about saving lives," said Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs.

Jacobs kicked off a 30-day awareness campaign, required by law, before the county can start mailing out $158 tickets to red light runners caught on ten cameras still being set up at some of the busiest intersections.

When Orange County tested out the cameras, no intersection had more red light runners than the one at University Boulevard and Rouse Road. They caught 30 violators in eight hours.

Orange County's cut of the fines would've been more than $2,200 at that intersection alone.

The city of Orlando has already collected more than $5 million since it started its program in 2008. But Mayor Jacobs isn't banking on a windfall for the county.

"What's wrong with this making some money for the county?" WFTV reporter Eric Rasmussen asked Jacobs.

"I think there's plenty wrong with that. If our goal is to just find a way to add more burdens on the citizens of Orange County at a time when our economy is suffering and we have a lot of people unemployed, I would be very disturbed by that. That's not our goal at all. Our goal is to make the streets safer," Jacobs replied.

Some think the program can cut crashes by 30 percent. The county could pay out as much as $1.7 million to American Traffic Solutions over the next three years.

Tickets start going out February 28. If a driver pays on time it won't put any points on the driver's license, much like a parking ticket.