JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- It's not hard to find a red-light runner. Chances are, you see one almost every day. But pretty soon, at 17 local intersections, 25 approaches, cameras will catch those red-light runners and send them a ticket in the mail.
"It costs $158 when you get that notice of violation," said Sheriff John Rutherford.
Rutherford has led the charge to have these cameras installed in Jacksonville. He says, first and foremost, they're a safety tool. "That is our goal. We want to reduce traffic crashes," he said.
And yes, the cameras are moneymakers. He estimates they will bring in about $1.5 million in revenue their first year. "What we're really trying to do here is get people to break bad driving habits," Rutherford said.
Installation begins Monday, at no cost to law-abiding citizens. The Sheriff says only red-light runners will foot this bill. "At no time, will the taxpayers of Duval County be required to pay anything to maintain this system. However, the violators will be paying for it."
Once the cameras are live, you'll have a 30-day grace period. If the camera catches you running a red light inside that window, you'll get a letter of warning in the mail. After 30 days, you get a ticket.
The first notice carries no penalty points. But if you ignore it, the fine increases to $274 and three points are assessed against your license.
The
Jacksonville Sheriff's Office put together a list of where the red light cameras will go so you can plan accordingly.
