MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – The Manatee County Commission approved the installation of new red light cameras on Tuesday.
The move is at the urging of law enforcement who say they’re trying to save lives.
According to deputies, there were 79 accidents at one intersection–Bayshore Gardens Parkway and U.S. Highway 41–last year alone. There have been 69 accidents there so far this year. They suspect the spike in accidents is due to population growth.
There are currently red light cameras at seven intersections throughout the county.
“It’s not a revenue-generating tool for the county, it’s a change to driving habits of drivers to make our roads safer,” said Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Stanley Schaeffer. “They reduce crashes, they reduce injuries, they reduce your insurance bills.”
The new cameras will be installed at Bayshore Gardens Parkway and U.S. Highway 41 and on Lockwood Ridge Road and State Road 70 sometime next year.
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