Our state could join more than a dozen others by installing traffic-light cameras. It's a conversation that's been had before and now the Nevada Office of Traffic Safety is asking lawmakers to allow local municipalities to have the option to have this technology.
"Simply to save lives," said Andrew Bennett with the Nevada Office for Traffic Safety.
Bennett says that's the main reason his office is asking lawmakers to consider this.
"Someone is choosing to do these unsafe behaivors," he said. "Be it speed or run a red light, anyone who has driven in Las Vegas or in Nevada has seen multiple times, four, five, six, people run through a red light and it should not be a common practice."
It's always been a controversial topic. People we spoke with felt strongly about it one way or the other.
"I like it, I'm an Uber driver and it's so dangerous to be outside with all these people running red lights," said one woman.
"No, no, no," said another man. "I've lived in a state that had them and I don't know know, it's a highly contested issue. Fair is fair. They should catch us if they can."
Some other critics say it's an invasion of privacy if a camera is taking a picture of your face or your license plate. Others say it will increase rear-end crashes because people will stop short at yellow lights to avoid a ticket.
"The critics can say what they want," said Bennett. "At the end of the day, we are trying to save lives."
The BDR (Bill Draft Request) will go before legislators in February 2019. There's no timeline for when the cameras might become a reality following that but it's safe to say it wouldn't be before a year's time.
BDR: 358 Office of Traffic Safety of the Department of Public Safety:
Revises provisions governing the use of stationary automated traffic enforcement cameras by local governments and state agencies.
