At the Orange County commissioner’s meeting Tuesday, it was agreed to install cameras at 10 different intersections.

The cameras are designed to catch people running red lights, and offenders will receive a $158 fine in the mail should they be caught on camera.

If someone receives a fine, no points can be accumulated on their license, and their insurance payments won’t go up.

The cameras will take images of vehicles that go through the intersection if the light is red.

The camera is triggered by any vehicle entering the intersection above a certain minimum speed and follows a specific time after the signal has turned red.

Other Florida cities had already installed such devices, but Orange County Mayor Richard Crotty held out in fear that offenders would sue the county because Florida had yet to give all cities and counties permission to use the cameras.

A law was passed that went into effect this month to legalize the cameras.

Also, there was concern whether the cameras might actually cause more accidents because people might resort to making sudden stops at an intersection to avoid a ticket.

Just so you’re not distracted by looking up to find the cameras while driving, the 10 intersections approved were: Central Florida Parkway and John Young Parkway, Clarcona Ocoee Road and Pine Hills Road, Chickasaw Trail and Lake Underhill Road, Lancaster Road and Winegard Road, Dean Road and University Boulevard, John Young Parkway and Oak Ridge Road, Old Winter Garden Road and Hiawassee Road, Lake Underhill Road and Dean Road, Americana Boulevard and Texas Avenue, and Texas Avenue and Oak Ridge Road.

Frankly, these Big Brother-esque cameras are a waste of our tax dollars, and their lack of accountability worries us.

We definitely see the need to make Orlando driving safer, but it’s hard to believe these cameras can actually do the trick.

It will take more than cameras for people to realize that no, yellow does not mean “go faster” and that traffic laws are meant to be obeyed, even if a police officer isn’t behind you at the moment.

We feel that the county wants to use this tactic to increase revenue in the state, not to make driving safer.

An investigation by the Washington Post found that red-light cameras in Washington, D.C., raised more than $32 million in revenue but led to an increase in the number of accidents.

Government makes money off these traps, and it isn’t fair to systematically punish red-light offenders in every single instance.

People who consistently run red lights are usually aggressive drivers who consistently violate other traffic laws as well.

Everyone will run a red light at least once in their lifetime, even the most responsible drivers.

Usually when they do, it’s because of a split-second decision based on how much time they have to stop before a light turns yellow.

Not every responsible driver should be punished for this.

Until we see some conclusive evidence that red-light cameras will improve traffic safety, traffic cameras will remain a poor public policy.