Bal Harbour

The Red Light Special

Bal Harbour moves to crack down on red light scofflaws

By Claudia Boyd-Barrett

Running a red light in Bal Harbour could soon become a lot trickier to get away with.

Motivated by a high incidence of traffic light violations, the Village Council voted last week to allow the installation of special cameras throughout the village that would snap pictures of any car driving through a red light.

Police Chief Tom Hunker said the devices would make driving in Bal Harbour safer. He blamed many of the red light violations on people from out of town.

“I think [the ordinance] is a good idea because we are a tourist community and we get a lot of people running red lights,” he said. “Tourists are less familiar with the layout of the traffic. They’re looking at the Bal Harbour Shops, at the sun, at the people, and they’re not focusing on what they’re doing. They’re easily distracted.”

The new system would use laser beams to detect when motorists drive through a red light. If a motorist breaks through a laser beam after a light turns red, the camera would photograph the car, including the license plates, Hunker explained. Police would review the pictures and send out fines in the mail. Tickets for a first offense would cost $125; repeat offenses could rise to $500.

Residents at the council meeting expressed support for the cameras, which are also being planned for other areas of Miami-Dade County, including Aventura.

“It's something that should be done — it should be done immediately,” said Brian Mulheren. “It's for the safety of our residents, our visitors and people who travel through Bal Harbour. This will only improve our community and our village.”

Not everyone agrees. The state of Florida currently prohibits the use of red light cameras on state roads and intersections. A recent report in the Florida Public Health Review concluded that cameras can lead to more accidents and higher insurance rates.

Hunker estimated that with perhaps 50 to 60 violations occurring a day, the village stands to make plenty of extra revenue. He said the cost of installing the red light cameras would fall on the contractors, who would take a share of the money generated from fines.

Traffic light violations caught on camera would not result in points being added to drivers’ licenses, Hunker assured. The ordinance also provides for a 90-day introductory period, during which violators would receive only warnings. Signs would be put up to inform people about the cameras, Hunker said.

The ordinance must still pass a second reading by the Village Council in April. If approved, the cameras could be operational within six months, Hunker said.