Florida continues to be one of the worst states in America for red-light running, according to Verra Mobility, a smart transportation company. According to the company’s studies, Florida ranks among the worst violators in the country in terms of drivers disobeying traffic signals and causing deadly accidents.
Florida ranked among the worst violators along with Alabama, Arizona, Louisiana, Maryland and North Carolina.
Despite this, a Florida state representative, Anthony Sabatini (R-Howey-in-the-Hills), plans to file a bill banning the use of red-light cameras designed to catch such infractions. Florida passed a law in 2010 that allows cities and counties to install these cameras at dangerous intersections.
The decision always came with some controversy. The cameras capture still shots and videos, collecting license plates when vehicles run red lights or make right turns at lights when prohibited. Critics say the technology is fallible and not effective at improving public safety. However, studies disagree, finding red-light cameras helped reduce fatal red-light crash rates in large cities by more than 20 percent.
The law has been challenged frequently in court, and this new proposed legislation is set to be the latest challenge in 2021.
Filing an accident claim
The information gathered from red light cameras can also be highly beneficial to people filing personal injury claims against negligent drivers. The removal of those cameras would pose not only a safety risk to people driving in the area, but would also eliminate one tool plaintiffs have at their disposal to prove the liability and negligence of other drivers on the road.
To learn more about the best strategies to take in your auto accident claim, contact a trusted Sarasota, FL personal injury lawyer at Goldman, Babboni, Fernandez & Walsh.