Apr. 27--Any day now, motorists who run a red light at the intersection of U.S. 19 and Ridge Road in Port Richey, jeopardizing the lives of law-abiding travelers and pedestrians, will be getting a ticket. It's Big Brother --cameras --in a positive light. Port Richey officials took a gamble in becoming the first Pasco County municipality to enlist cameras in this effort, since state law bars local governments from using the devices for traffic enforcement.

But the small city, following the lead of other Florida municipalities, wisely capitalized on a loophole in state statutes and adopted a local ordinance authorizing the use of cameras to catch red-light runners. Normally, loopholes in laws and ordinances are bad news, but not in this case. Corralling red-light runners is very much a public safety issue and in the public's best interest.

Even if it were possible for police, sheriff's deputies and state troopers to constantly monitor intersections, it's impractical. That's why cameras are such an attractive alternative. Besides, state officials already use cameras to catch people who stiff them on roadway tolls. What should be good for the state should be good for its communities. Using the cameras, which record the act and the offender's license plate number, will save manpower and tax dollars. In Port Richey's case, the city has a contract with an Arizona company that is responsible for installing and maintaining the devices and an online monitoring system. The company will get a portion of the $125 ticket, so taxpayers won't have to put up funding. Police officers will determine whether tickets should be issued --not the company. That's the proper protocol because the police are empowered to enforce laws and ordinances, not a private company.

The intersection of Ridge Road and U.S. 19 is a logical place to start. In the county's latest traffic crash report, the heavily congested area continues to be one of the county's most hazardous intersections, with 68 crashes in 2006. It could be that simply knowing the cameras are there will be enough to grab motorists' attention and force them to slow down. Regardless of whether the program brings in a lot of money, it's being proven in many communities that the cameras, which are used in at least 14 states, work big-time.

In Philadelphia and New York City, for example, violations were down by more than 70 percent, studies showed.

In the Central Florida community of Apopka, which erected cameras at two intersections last summer, 289 motorists were nabbed the first month. But a few months later, the number of violations had dropped to 18. Motorists obviously got the message.

The message for Pasco County government and other municipalities is that these cameras are effective public safety tools. Officials representing these governments should seriously consider their own programs or teaming together to address problem areas.

Cameras all along U.S. 19, for example, could help reverse its reputation as the nation's most deadly road.

State law may not be an impediment much longer, either. A Senate bill that would OK the use of cameras has cleared two committees.

Regardless of whether the bill passes, there would be nothing improper about the county and remaining municipalities adopting ordinances similar to the one approved by Port Richey, Apopka and other locales, including Hillsborough County. They would not be adopting new traffic laws, just putting into effect a way to better enforce ones already on the books.

If hot-footed motorists and others who object don't like it, tough. Their privacy isn't being violated; they're already videotaped most everywhere they go in public. They will have nothing to worry about as long as they drive responsibly.

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