More enforcement needed to make Lee County roadways safer
To the editor:
When we decided to move to Southwest Florida five years ago to be closer to our grandkids, we were warned about Hurricanes and Gators (not the sports teams). Well, what we weren’t told was the real danger-Lee County roads! With an average of 123 deaths a year, there could be two Hurricane Ian’s (supposedly 50 deaths in Lee County), and it wouldn’t match the traffic carnage on our roads. Plus, if you figure in the 8,670 people hurt in accidents annually, it looks like over 1% of the population in Lee County are maimed or killed each year.* Wow -that beats all the murderers, terrorists, and alligator hassles put together! Florida prides itself in having more freedoms; hence, less ticketing, and while I agree conceptually, it comes with a deadly cost.
How can we fix this?
First and foremost, put more police on the road with radar and give out expensive citations for driving badly. Easy-peasy and a great revenue source! Secondly, install cameras on all busy intersections. At $100 for every car caught running a red light, you’d have the cameras paid for in one day! Plus, you could defer property taxes and use the income to fund local government activities.
*https://www.flhsmv.gov/pdf/crashreports/crash_facts_2023_ada.pd
Paul Dellva
Cape Coral