In an effort to reduce red light running and enhance traffic safety, the Austin, TX City Council voted to approve installing red light cameras at selected intersections throughout the city in November 2007.

“There is a problem here in Austin,” said Austin Communications Director Gene Acuna. The city is planning to activate the cameras during the Memorial Day weekend.  There will be no grace period.

According to Austin Police Department statistics, there were 1,300 accidents as a result of red light running.

Nine intersections will have cameras. But the city won’t say just yet which will be switched on first.

You’ll find them at I-35 and 11th Street; I-35 and 15th street; the northbound and southbound sides of Mopac and Wells Branch; both directions at Lamar and Ben White; Mopac and 290; Riverside and Pleasant Valley Road; and I-35 and MLK.

“The goal of the program has been always has been safety,” said Acuna.

Wayne Krause is Legal Director of the Texas Civil Rights Project.   He doesn’t think red light cameras make us any safer.

“We just had studies come out of England that show that there is no or very little safety advantage to having cameras out there,” he said.

He wonders if we’re giving up our rights for what the city calls safety.

“You really ought to ask the citizens if it’s what they want and whether their security and their rights are at stake,” Krause said.

Motorists we talked to about the city’s red light camera plan had mixed reactions.

“It’s too much surveillance too much big brother”, said motorist Steve Gillus.

Heather Shelby thinks it’s a good idea.

“I stop when it starts to turn yellow and I know a lot of people don’t. It causes accidents and raises our insurance,” she said.

The city will release a PSA on Monday, May 12th.