The sooner Cookeville installs red lights cameras at its busiest intersections the safer its motorists will be.

Have you traveled the city streets much during the past couple of years?

More specifically, have you taken your life in your hands at the seven or so busiest intersections in Cookeville?

The police department just released its list of the most dangerous intersections.

The intersection of Willow Avenue and Jackson Street was accorded the intersection with the most wrecks.

The common denominator that these intersections seem to have that contributes to these wrecks is red lights runners.

When a car runs a red light, the usual result is that the car traveling with the green light gets " T-Boned ", there's a lot of kinetic energy that as to be absorbed by the car that is the recipient of the speeding car that runs a red light.

The occupants of the T-boned car also have to absorb that high degree of energy.

More and more municipalities are installing red light cameras.

Two photos are taken of the offending car, one at the stop line and one of the offending vehicles once it has passed the stop line.

The photos are reviewed by a police officer before a ticket is issued.

The person to whom the car is registered can also view the photos online. He/she then can pay the fine or ask for a hearing.

The camera company installs the camera in exchange for 50% of the revenue brought in.

There are an estimated 1000 deaths, 90,000 injuries and 95,000 crashes in the U.S. per year resulting from red light runners according to the Federal Highway Administration.

Cookeville should agree with Metro councilman Michael Craddock, Chair of the council's Safety Committee who said, " we don't have enough police officers and we'll probably never have enough to do what we need to do ".

He's right.

Cookeville should install cameras at the busiest intersections before the end of 2008.

Maybe road rage red light runners will be stopped before more lives are threatened or taken.

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Steve Moore
Cookeville, TN