Cary yellow lights too brief, suit says

Four Wake County drivers have asked a judge to tear up their tickets for running red lights in Cary, arguing that fleeting yellow lights on traffic signals did not give them enough time to stop safely.

In a lawsuit filed Nov. 30 in Wake Superior Court, Brian Ceccarelli of Apex and three other drivers say they received $50 tickets after Cary's red-light cameras caught them running red lights.

The four drivers contend that Cary does not comply with state Department of Transportation standards that set minimum duration times for yellow lights based on traffic speed at the intersection.

A spokeswoman said Cary will contest the lawsuit.

"We're very familiar with the assertions in the lawsuit, disagree with them, and look forward to the court's review," said Susan Moran, the town's public information officer.

The yellow signal is a warning that drivers should prepare to stop for a red light.Cary, Raleigh and other cities cite traffic safety as the reason for using cameras to catch red-light violators at some intersections.

The drivers also seek to turn their case into a class-action lawsuit on behalf of other drivers who have been caught by Cary's red-light cameras.