Cape Coral PD warns drivers against cutting through parking lots to avoid red lights

With more people arriving and staying in Southwest Florida every day now, Beth Garzio tries to stay off the roads as much as possible.

“I don’t like to go out,” she said. “From now until season ends, it’s very, very dangerous.”

Dangerous on both the roads and parking lots.

Garzo says she sees people cutting through lots all of the time.

“The traffic signals here are notoriously long. Cutting through a parking lot, what are you going to get? Three feet in front of somebody else,” she asked.

But people like Margarita Gordon, who admits she cuts through parking lots, says it saves her time and eases her frustration.

“With season coming, there’s just too many people and we can’t really close Florida off, so,” she said.

Cape Coral police say they’re warning drivers that cutting through parking lots comes with a $163 fine and three points off your license.

“Absolutely warn them,” said June Riolla who lives in Cape Coral. “You know, not that people will necessarily adhere to it.”

CCPD says right now they’ve got only five daytime traffic units on the lookout because they need more officers stationed at schools, but they’re working to hire more officers.