Sean | June 30, 2023
Traffic and Red Light Cameras in St. Petersburg, FL
In the past, the only way you could get a ticket for a traffic violation was if you got pulled over by the police. The flashing red and blue lights in your rearview mirror were a clear sign that you were probably in trouble.
But times have changed, and so has technology. Today, thanks to the prevalence of red light cameras, you can receive a ticket in the mail without ever dealing with a police officer. Is this legal? Is this fair? And how is this technology used in the St. Petersburg area?
Red Light Cameras in Florida
Red light cameras are one of many tactics that the state of Florida uses to combat car accidents. These cameras photograph your car and the person driving it if it travels through an intersection while the light is red.
The owner of the car then receives a ticket for running a red light. The main goal of this technology is to decrease traffic fatalities. Since drivers can be fined even when a police officer isn’t around, these cameras are supposed to discourage drivers from running red lights.
Whether the technology decreases traffic accidents isn’t clear. But it does an excellent job of catching people who run red lights. According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Red Light Camera Report for Fiscal Year 2020-2021, traffic cameras ticketed roughly 25 times as many violations as police officers.
While there have been attempts to make the use of these cameras illegal or reduce the use of them, so far, they remain common in Florida. If you receive a ticket from one of these cameras, you can fight it in court. But typically, the best defense is that you weren’t driving the car or the camera failed to identify the driver.
Red Light Cameras in St. Petersburg
The city of St. Petersburg uses 22 red light cameras located at ten intersections.
The intersections where red light cameras are present are:
- Fourth St. and Gandy Blvd.
- Fourth St. and 54th Ave. N
- Fourth St. and 22nd Ave. N
- Sixth St. and Fifth Ave. S
- 34th St. and 38th Ave. N
- 34th St. and First Ave. N
- 34th St. and First Ave. S
- 34th St. and 22nd Ave. S
- 66th St. and 38th Ave. N
- Tyrone Blvd. and 66th St.
Except for Fourth St. and 54th Ave. N, these intersections are among the highest red light-running crash site frequencies in the city. Curiously, that one intersection is considered one of the least dangerous intersections in the city, making it a strange choice for a red light camera.
While many of these intersections are dangerous, all of the red light-running fatalities in the city happened at intersections that don’t have cameras. This could mean that the cameras are poorly placed, or it could mean that they are doing their job to decrease fatalities.
What to Do If You Get a Ticket from a Red Light Camera
You can either pay the fine or fight the ticket in court. If you pay the fine and it is your first red light camera ticket, no points will be added to your license. If you choose to fight the ticket, you should consult an attorney.
Avoid Getting a Traffic Camera Ticket in St. Petersburg
Red light cameras are easy to identify, and their locations in St. Petersburg are well documented. To avoid getting a ticket, never run a red light where they are located. That is a lot more convenient than fighting a ticket in court.
Contact Our Car Accident Law Firm – Lopez Accident Injury Attorneys
Contact a St. Petersburg car accident lawyer at Lopez Accident Injury Attorneys and schedule a free case review today.
Lopez Accident Injury Attorneys
700 7th Ave N Suite B
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
(727) 933-0015
