The decision to add red light cameras around Miami Dade-County was met with some derision, especially as more and more drivers began to receive citations.  Studies have suggested that red light cameras are not the most effective way of deterring drivers that decide to run a yellow light, and now at least one Miami-Dade mayor is doing something about it.

North Miami Mayor Smith Joseph has decided to do away with the red light camera program, telling residents that “we cannot balance the city’s budget on the backs of our residents” and instead the focus should be concentrated on having a greater amount of police on the streets, not additional red light cameras.  North Miami officially began to do away with its red lights camera yesterday.

The decision to do away with red light cameras comes during a time when their legal future in the state seems a bit hazy.  Up in the city of Hollywood in Broward County, an appeals court ruled that the city’s red light cameras were unconstitutional.  An effort to have the Florida Supreme Court take a look at the case was struck down, allowing the judgment given earlier this year to stand.  The argument stated that police officers are essentially passing on their work to companies that review the footage captured by these cameras instead of police officers issuing citations themselves after reviewing the footage.

How do you feel about the red light cameras and North Miami’s decision to get rid of them?

This update is brought to you by Miami traffic attorney Hochman & Goldin, P.A.  We can assist you with criminal traffic violations and are ready to answer your questions. Please call 305-665-1000 to speak with one of our attorneys.

Are you a Miami or Florida driver?  You may be interested in some 2014 Florida traffic facts released by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

Over three million traffic tickets were written in the Sunshine State alone and there are just over fifteen million licensed drivers.  In 2013, more than 280,000 drivers were ticketed due to not having insurance and more than 849,000 drivers were cited because of speeding.  In fact, speeding was the most cited violation.

Of the 344,170 crashes in Florida, it’s suspected that alcohol was a possible factor in 849 of those crashes.  Nearly 50,000 motorists received tickets for driving under the influence in 2013 and over 356,000 drivers were driving without a valid license.

With these numbers, you may be asking yourself, “how can I protect myself on the road and not become another statistic?”  For starters, obey the posted speed limits.  You’ll probably be one of the slower vehicles on the road and receive dirty looks from impatient drivers but you’ll notice that the vehicles that have to slam on the brakes or end up losing control are the ones that were driving too fast to begin with.  Speed is considered the number one contributor to a crash per the federal government.

This last tip can also potentially save your life. When at an intersection, count at least three seconds when a light turns green before moving forward.  You can use this small window to look both ways before crossing and avoid a crash due to a vehicle trying to beat the light.

This update is brought to you by Miami traffic attorney Hochman & Goldin, P.A.  We can assist you with criminal traffic violations and are ready to answer your questions. Please call 305-665-1000 to speak with one of our attorneys.

Is Miami traffic getting you down?  Most people believe that the increased number of vehicles on the road and a transit system that’s generally lacking have contributed towards Miami-Dade’s chronic traffic issues.  However, there are several additional factors going on each day that also contribute towards the daily slowdowns.

Tiny details such as a crew performing tree maintenance on a major road like Coral Way or Crandon Boulevard in the island of Key Biscayne can create traffic tie-ups.  State Road 836 seems to be perennially under some form of construction.  Considering the number of people who depend on it to get around, it can quickly get congested.  Something like a water main break will have a road closed in just a matter of hours.

There are ongoing efforts to alleviate traffic problems in Miami-Dade County.  The $560 million reconstruction of 836 and State Road 826 provided by federal stimulus money is expected to finish next year and will likely help with preventing traffic bottlenecks.  On the other hand, reconstruction of the interchanges between 57th and 17th Avenue is expected to increase traffic by the beginning of next month.

Nightly road closures that are intended to reduce traffic during rush hour aren’t doing any favors for those who travel at night either.  For the time being, while the state and counties work on their roadways, it’s perhaps best to continue to remain patient and leave to your destination with plenty of time.

This update is brought you by Miami traffic attorney Hochman & Goldin, P.A.  We can assist you with criminal traffic violations and are ready to answer your questions. Please call 305-665-1000 to speak with one of our attorneys.