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A bill to lengthen yellow lights at traffic intersections was filed early in Tallahassee. The light turned red on a similar measure during the past legislative session. As Whitney Ray tells us, the bill comes as angry drivers ticketed by red-light camera claim yellow lights are too short.

The race to get into the intersection before the light turns red is on. The stakes are high. Enter a split second late, and red light cameras will snap a picture. Stop early and you may get rear ended.

Friday John McGrew piled friends into his new car. He says at some lights he can barely get his BMW into the intersection before the light turns red.

“Sometimes it does change a little too fast,” said McGrew.

A bill to lengthen yellow lights has been refilled in Tallahassee. The light turned red on a similar measure last year. Representative Brad Drake hated to see the brakes put on the bill.

“And that’s what they are doing with these cameras, they’re catching people as they go through but it’s unfair because the yellow light is so short,” said Drake.

At this intersection, a few blocks from the state capitol, the speed limit going North and South is 35 miles an hour. The yellow light lasts about 3.2 seconds. The new bill would require it to last 4 seconds.

The bill is a response to complaints about red light cameras. As dozens began popping up around the state, claims that yellow lights were shortened to catch more drivers began to surface.

Shamika Whitlock heard the stories and changed her driving.

“I definitely stop. I can’t get anymore tickets. I stop before it turns yellow,” said Whitlock.

During a six month period beginning last year, 11 million dollars in fines were mailed out because of red-light cameras. Opponents of the devices believe longer yellow lights will lower that number.

Right now local governments set the length of yellow lights based on an equation factoring in speed limits, the size of the road and other variables. The bill would base the length of the light on just the speed limit.

Proposed Yellow Light Changes
25 MPH or slower 3 sec
35 MPH 4 sec
45 MPH 5 sec
55 MPH or faster 6 sec