City begins red light camera enforcement

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (WSVN) -- Red light cameras are now enforced in the City of Fort Lauderdale.

According to officials, drivers caught running a red light at designated intersections, will be cited and issued a notice of violation through the mail. That ticket will cost $158.

The cameras have been up and running for 30 days but red light runners were only being issued warnings, until Wednesday morning. Six of the 11 approved sites, including State Road 84, Sunrise Boulevard and Commercial Boulevard, will be issuing tickets to those drivers caught running red lights.

The City of Fort Lauderdale expects to issue about 22 citations a day and generate about $3 million in revenue. Fort Lauderdale is among 30 other cities enforcing the red light cameras.

One driver accepts the cameras. "It's going to slow people down and make them think before they go off and do the wrong thing," said Pat Tolin.

Another driver said the new rule of the road will not change much. "The only thing they do is give tickets out, no difference. Everybody keeps running it, so it doesn't change anything," said Jessica Perez.

Between 2004 and 2009, city officials said 26 deaths occurred along some of the intersections where the new cameras are now being enforced.

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