Florida quietly shortened yellow light standards

[Capt Worley PE]

TAMPA BAY, Fla. -- A subtle, but significant tweak to Florida's rules regarding traffic signals has allowed local cities and counties to shorten yellow light intervals, resulting in millions of dollars in additional red light camera fines.

The 10 News Investigators discovered the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) quietly changed the state's policy on yellow intervals in 2011, reducing the minimum below federal recommendations. The rule change was followed by engineers, both from FDOT and local municipalities, collaborating to shorten the length of yellow lights at key intersections, specifically those with red light cameras (RLCs).

While yellow light times were reduced by mere fractions of a second, research indicates a half-second reduction in the interval can double the number of RLC citations -- and the revenue they create.

More: http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/article/316418/8/10-News-Investigators-discover-short-yellow-lights

 

[csb]

1. We have no red-light cameras and have no legislation in place to get them. They just seem to be revenue generators, rather than legitimate traffic safety devices.

2. When we make manual changes like that, it's typically in a stuffy conference room where we bicker for awhile and eventually come to a consensus. Trust me- we aren't going, "Hey, how can we help out lawyers? OH! And get on the news?!"

 

[Lumber Jim]

so you say....