Do I Stop or Be Careful and Prudent?

One of the nuances coming out of the new law permitting photo enforcement of red light running violations in Florida is the "careful and prudent" standard for right turns on red. A full stop is not required for photo enforcement activities. Drivers may roll through an intersection, provided they are careful and prudent, and will not receive a Notice of Violation from our red light camera program.

However, drivers need to understand careful and prudent only applies to photo enforcement and not when enforced by an officer on scene.

The statute for right turns on red still requires drivers to come to a full stop at the white stop bar before entering the designated crosswalk or the intersection itself. Careful and prudent is not the standard here - coming to a complete stop remains the standard.

Confused? Join the club.

Here is the bottom line - you are always safe if you come to a complete stop before turning right on red. After all, it is still the law in Florida. We will use the new careful and prudent standard for photo enforcement of red light running violations at the five monitored intersections. Officers working traffic in the field will still use discretion during their enforcement efforts, but an officer observing a driver rolling through an intersection may issue a uniform traffic citation for the offense regardless of whether the driver was careful and prudent.

It's best to stop before turning right on red.

- Asst Chief Bill LePere

Comments

[BC]

Sure...come to a complete stop in Lakeland on Memorial, wait a few seconds while countless thugs are honking...heck you might even get shot. Remember though, don't you dare think about going because these money hungry, country bumkins in Lakeland will surely nail your rear. Glad to see my hard earned tax dollars at work and reinforces why I will be leaving this town and commute in...what a joke!