LAKELAND, Fla. — Two years ago, Angelo Rao, the City of Lakeland’s traffic operations manager, was nearly hit by a beer truck that ran a red light at over 50 miles an hour.
"And I just screeched to a halt," recalls Rao. "That kind of made me say, 'I’ve got to do this!'"
It was the inspiration for turning finally turning a 25-year-old idea into reality.
"I had been dreaming about this since about 1996 or 1997 and finally the technology has arrived," Rao said.
All new traffic light sensors installed alongside red light cameras at 4 of Lakeland’s most dangerous intersections can not only detect a vehicle coming, but also use its speed and distance to calculate if the driver can stop in time.
If it’s going to be close the green lights are delayed by a few extra seconds.
“The person who would’ve gotten the green light has been delayed by three or four seconds and we’ve prevented the crash," Rao said.
The drivers caught on camera also get a hefty fine in the mail for running the red light.
But, Rao says this is not about making money for the city.
“This is all about saving lives. That’s all we care about is saving lives reducing the trauma that families have to go through.”
In fact, the technology can be deployed without red-light cameras at other intersections, allowing the green light delays to happen only when needed so traffic isn’t needlessly held up.
Already, testing shows it's preventing close calls 15-25 times a day at each intersection.
And, after an 18-month pilot project, the state just gave the green light to put the technology to use.
“When I got that letter from Tallahassee I did cry,” said Rao. “That letter was 25 years in the making and it was an amazing letter to get.”
If further studies show no major issues, the life-saving technology could soon be deployed at intersections everywhere.
“That’s kind of my ultimate dream to see this implemented throughout the city and hopefully it’ll be picked up in other districts in other states,” said Rao. “That would be pretty cool.”
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