There's something new at the last traffic light separating Southlake and Keller, which is prone to red light runners.
Police have installed a red light camera to catch those violators. 18-year old Brandan Bolton admits that he ran a red light a few days ago. "I couldn't stop so I just ran it, but it was not intentional so I hope I don't get a ticket."
But for hundreds of drivers, the ticket is in the mail. In the first month of operation, two red light cameras have caught almost a thousand people running a red. The numbers are even higher than police expected to see, according to Corporal Mike Bedrich of the Southlake Police Department. "The cameras are absolute. There is no discretion; you ran it or you didn't."
Southlake's high tech crackdown comes as other cities, like Dallas and Frisco, are scaling back on the use of red light cameras, citing various reasons, some of them financial.
Police in Southlake say the cameras aren't about generating revenue for the city, but instead about promoting safety. Officials say red light runners cause accidents and kill people. Teenage driver Katie Hughes says she supports the use of the cameras. "It's safer because Southlake is not the safest place to drive."
But not all drivers are thrilled to see the "eyes in the sky." Some believe the cameras are a violation of privacy. Others say it will take time to get used to the idea that there is someone watching, even when there may not be a cop in sight.
Police have installed a red light camera to catch those violators. 18-year old Brandan Bolton admits that he ran a red light a few days ago. "I couldn't stop so I just ran it, but it was not intentional so I hope I don't get a ticket."
But for hundreds of drivers, the ticket is in the mail. In the first month of operation, two red light cameras have caught almost a thousand people running a red. The numbers are even higher than police expected to see, according to Corporal Mike Bedrich of the Southlake Police Department. "The cameras are absolute. There is no discretion; you ran it or you didn't."
Southlake's high tech crackdown comes as other cities, like Dallas and Frisco, are scaling back on the use of red light cameras, citing various reasons, some of them financial.
Police in Southlake say the cameras aren't about generating revenue for the city, but instead about promoting safety. Officials say red light runners cause accidents and kill people. Teenage driver Katie Hughes says she supports the use of the cameras. "It's safer because Southlake is not the safest place to drive."
But not all drivers are thrilled to see the "eyes in the sky." Some believe the cameras are a violation of privacy. Others say it will take time to get used to the idea that there is someone watching, even when there may not be a cop in sight.
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