10 News investigates Florida's "Yellow Light Trap"

An original investigative series, Noah Pransky & the 10 Investigatates team exposed how the State of Florida reduced the length of yellow light intervals and created huge profits with additional red-light camera violations. The series launched a national conversation about the fairness and effectiveness of the technology.

Exposing abuses in Florida's red light camera program earned 10 Investigates a number of prestigious national honors, including the duPont-Columbia Award, the George Polk Award, and several regional Emmy awards.

2013-05-13 00:00:00

10 News breaks short yellow investigation

A quiet change to Florida's traffic rules has allowed shorter yellow light intervals and millions of dollars in additional fines.

2013-05-14 23:00:00

10 News Investigators: Legislators acting quickly on short yellow light investigation

Lawmakers quickly act on 10 News Investigation; reach out to state transportation leaders for fix.

2013-05-15 15:12:23

Hillsborough Co. to review lights, but not Tampa

Hillsborough Commissioners decide to study the lengths of yellow lights at RLC intersections, but Tampa officials resist nat'l safety guidelines.

2013-05-16 21:20:00

Tampa mayor won't address lights, but council does

Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn won't talk about the city's short yellow lights - among the shortest in all of Tampa Bay - but council ordered a review.

2013-05-17 00:06:00

Panama City News Herald Editorial: "Lawmakers must grill the FDOT"

Panama City News Herald pens editorial, "why not just lengthen yellow lights to improve safety?"

2013-05-17 22:55:00

Tampa mayor confronted about short yellow lights

10 News caught up with Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn Friday to ask about the city's yellow light intervals, among the shortest in Tampa Bay.

2013-05-20 14:30:00

Legislative Investigation Launched

The head of Florida's Senate Transportation Committee informed FDOT he was launching a legislative investigation into RLC & short yellow lights following a 10 News Investigation.

2013-05-21 21:55:00

Daytona Beach News-Journal: end RLC "gotcha" game

Daytona Beach News-Journal pens editorial: "This latest report should bring a serious rethinking of red-light cameras by legislators and local policymakers. Traffic rules and laws should not be a game of 'gotcha.' "

2013-05-24 14:30:00

Brooksville first city to request longer yellows

The City of Brooksville asks FDOT for permission to extend its intervals following the 10 News Investigation.

2013-05-29 22:44:53

Widow who wrote RLC bill speaks about Short Yellows

Melissa Wandall has always fought for safer intersections and says she was disturbed by the discovery that yellow lights may have been shortened to create more revenue.

2013-05-30 19:12:42

Short Yellows discovered in Manatee Co.

The 10 News Investigators identify more short yellow lights in Manatee Co., shortened just before red-light cameras were installed.

2013-06-02 19:37:10

Yellows reduced in Orlando too

Careful analysis of timing sheets at Orlando intersections shows recently-reduced yellow lights at some of the city's lucrative RLC sots.

2013-06-03 11:49:13

STATE ANNOUNCES LONGER YELLOW LIGHTS

FDOT confirms to 10 News that it will increase the minimum intervals for yellow lights statewide.

2013-06-03 23:05:29

St. Petersburg may extend yellow lights longer than state minimum

The St. Petersburg City Council will discuss safer intersections safer this month, as a report on yellow light lengths was requested by council.

2013-06-04 21:03:28

New evidence yellow lights shortened illegally

The 10 News Investigators found shrinking yellow lights weren't just a product of FDOT's quiet reduction in state minimums; several communities with RLC reduced the length of their yellow lights before state law even allowed it.

2013-06-05 18:20:02

Hillsborough Commissioners votes for longer yellow lights

Hillsborough Co. commissioners voted unanimously to request longer yellow light intervals.

2013-06-11 12:00:05

South Pasadena avoids action on short yellows

City Commissioners rebuffed their mayor - and a 10 News investigation - that suggested yellow lights at South Pasadena intersections may be too short for safe stopping.

2013-06-13 16:51:58

Tough RLC questions from St. Pete, Pasco officials

Traffic engineers briefed councilmembers and commissioners Thursday on new yellow light policies that may surpass Florida's low minimums.

2013-06-18 07:21:27

S. Pasadena Commission backtracks, requests longer yellows

Backtracking on comments critical of 10 News' coverage of short yellow lights, the South Pasadena City Commission voted unanimously to ask for longer yellow lights.

2013-06-19 17:18:43

10 News discovers more short yellows along US-27

Short yellow lights set are ticketing more drivers than they should in Polk Co. And some of the timings may not even comply with the state's low minimums.

2013-06-20 08:23:14

Message on short yellows not received by all

It's been hard for elected officials to follow all the "engineer-speak" on short yellow lights.

2013-06-20 20:18:43

Tampa admits lights too short; will extend to new minimums

Traffic officials told Tampa councilmembers the city has never done anything wrong, at least not intentionally, when it comes to yellow light intervals.

2013-06-26 12:30:00

10 News launches interactive map to find short yellows in your neighborhood

This list of Tampa Bay's red light cameras and yellow light intervals - couple with safe driving - can help you avoid getting a ticket.

2013-07-01 00:00:00

New RLC rules take effect in Fla.

Drivers will now have 60 days instead of 30 to dispute them, and instead of heading to court, they'll now have the right to request a hearing with a city or county appointed magistrate, kind of like a code enforcement officer.

2013-07-02 08:40:03

St. Pete, Tampa budgets forecast red light camera revenue drops

St. Pete Mayor Bill Foster's proposed 2014 budget includes a forecast drop in revenue from fines & forfeitures, which includes red light cameras.

2013-07-04 04:35:25

RLC could be on chopping block in New Port Richey

New Port Richey councilmembers will discuss disappointing revenue numbers from its red light camera safety program and whether it would be better for the city to just scrap the cameras in the next year.

2013-07-11 12:25:17

Report shows Pasco crashes up since RLC installation

While the number of overall car crashes went up in the six months after RLC were installed along US-19 in Pasco County, the county's top traffic engineer says the camera technology was not responsible.

2013-07-22 00:00:00

10 News exposes Florida's "Rolling Right Trap"

The 10 News Investigators reveal how some cities are using stricter-than-intended enforcement to issue rolling right tickets to safe drivers.

2013-07-23 21:00:00

New Port Richey re-examines 'rolling rights' policy after 10 News investigation

New Port Richey is about to "flip the switch" on RLC enforcement on right turns for the first time, but following 10 News' story about "Florida's Rolling Right Trap," chief Kim Bogart said he is re-examining some of the program's criteria.

2013-07-24 10:00:00

Dunnellon votes out red light cameras

Ocala Star-Banner reports the tiny city of Dunnellon will remove its red light cameras amid outrage from residents and visitors.

2013-07-25 18:31:48

St. Pete Mayoral Candidates Debate Red Light Cameras

As voting gets underway in the mayoral and council elections, St. Pete residents find themselves confronted with choices that could change the city's direction on the Pier, Major League Baseball, and red light cameras. The red light camera (RLC) issue, one that's been investigated thoroughly by 10 News in recent months, has been brought up repeatedly at candidate forums and debates.

2013-07-26 00:00:00

Times Editorial: RLC bring minimal safety additions

Following extensive reporting by 10 News, the Tampa Bay Times pens an editorial panning the red light camera safety claims along US-19.

2013-08-01 02:50:19

Herald-Tribune Editorial cites WTSP investigation, demands answers on RLC

The Sarasota Herald Tribune cites WTSP's "Yellow Light Trap" investigation in an editorial calling for more accountability and better research on Red Light Cameras (RLC).

2013-08-14 06:51:38

Lobbying reports show huge ATS expendatures

Lobbying reports show American Traffic Solutions has spent up to $293k lobbying elected officials in Florida through the first six months of 2013.

2013-08-21 00:00:00

Engineer talks Hillsborough off longer yellows

Hillsborough County commissioners had asked staff to explore longer yellow lights, but a veteran engineer warned longer yellows could cause accidents.

2013-08-26 00:00:00

Hillsborough Commission faces criticism after vote

One of the nation's leading RLC critics has taken a shot at Hillsborough County Commissioners after they backed off a previous proposal to increase yellow light intervals above the state's minimums.

2013-08-26 16:00:00

St. Pete council candidates get RLC campaign cash

American Traffic Solutions, Inc. and affiliated companies contribute to at least two St. Pete council candidates' coffers...

2013-08-31 23:00:00

Lakeland flips the switch on new red light cameras

Lakeland adds nine new cameras at six intersections. But following suggestions for safe operation of the cameras, only warnings will be issued for the first month.

2013-09-03 00:00:00

State Senator files RLC repeal bill

State Sen. Jeff Brandes tells 10 News he plans to file a proposed repeal of the 2010 Mark Wandall Safety Act, the law that regulates red light cameras in Florida.

2013-09-04 15:50:00

RLC debated at Lakeland mayoral forum

Candidates in Lakeland's mayoral contest discuss different approaches toward the city's red light camera safety program.

2013-09-05 11:50:00

Bradenton Herald: Fix problems exposed by 10 News

The Bradenton Herald pens an editorial calling upon the city and county's elected leaders to hold engineers accountable and mandate longer yellow lights at red light camera intersections.

2013-09-13 02:50:00

Judges can continue to dismiss "Rolling Right" tickets in Brooksville

The attorney general may try to chalk it up as a "win," but a pair of Hernando County judges upheld hundreds of dismissed red light camera tickets, in spite of the AG's concern.

2013-09-20 02:50:00

Tips on challenging a red light camera ticket

Not one driver who has argued a violation in front of a local magistrate has succeeded thus far, despite several of them having legitimate grounds to contest the ticket.

2013-09-23 00:00:00

Investigators: Short Yellows haven't been fixed as promised

More than 100 days after FDOT acknowledged yellow lights are too short, almost none of Tampa Bay's hundreds of RLCs have been fixed yet, and drivers are still getting unfair tickets.

2013-09-25 21:00:00

Hillsborough retiming lights as fast as possible

Hillsborough Co. engineers extend yellow intervals at red light camera intersections immediately, well-ahead of FDOT's Dec. 31 deadline.

2013-10-03 00:00:00

Manatee using safe right turns to triple citations

A recent tweak to the state's red light camera law was designed to reduce the number of safe drivers unfairly ticketed. However, Manatee County is using the tweak to triple the number of tickets it issues. The county reports it was not turning a profit from RLC through May, when it was averaging just 367 violations a month. In June, when new cameras were installed, the number jumped to 1,236. And in July, when right turns were enforced, that number soared to 3,436.

2013-10-05 00:00:00

Citations dropping; Tampa adding more cameras

With Tampa seeing a dramatic drop in red-light running and tickets produced at its current camera intersections, the city hopes expanding the program will compel more drivers to stop before the light turns red.

2013-11-07 00:00:00

Cities stretch RLC safety claims; others break law

A 10 News investigation revealed many cities and counties with red light cameras aren't following the red light camera law. And some claims about safety don't stand up to scrutiny.

2013-11-10 12:00:00

INFOGRAPHIC: Cities and Counties Ignoring RLC Laws

10 News finds nearly half of Florida cities & counties aren't reporting red light camera-related crash stats required by law.

2013-11-13 02:00:00

10 News finds new problems with city's safety claims

10 News reports Bradenton's crash statistics - and claim that crashes have decreased at red light camera intersections - were calculated incorrectly.

10 News investigates Florida's "Yellow Light Trap"

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