Southaven leaning toward red-light cameras to control scofflaws

Last week, two brothers were killed in a crash that involved an 18-wheeler, an S-U-V and two cars.

Investigators say all four collided at the intersection of Airways and Goodman Road.

Tonight, some Mid-Southerners are concerned this is a dangerous stretch of road.

Last year, the intersection of Goodman and Airways had 87 accidents. Sandra Cooper works at a convenience store on the corner of Goodman and Airways.

She sees it all the time. "A lot of traffic, lot of accidents," she said.

Jenny Roy delivers the local paper. She's no stranger to this intersection. "It's very dangerous and they need to do something about it."

Southaven police are doing something about it. "We're going to be able to install red light technology that will actually catch violators running these red lights and receive a ticket in the mail," said Southaven Police Chief Tom Long.

They will get the same type of red light cameras that litter parts of Germantown Parkway. A new ordinance recently passed by the state of Mississippi now allows the red light technology.

"A lot of these accidents are a result of running the red lights," said Long.

Long researched these cameras and how they reduce accidents from places where they already exist.

The results convinced him. "They stated they had reductions anywhere between 50-and-60 percent in these intersections of their accidents."

Long says the cameras should be installed in the next two to three months.

After those cameras are installed, the Chief says they'll put cameras at other intersections along Goodman Road.

Click here to send Nick Paranjape an email.