Motorists take note. Police in Plano and Richardson have a new tool to discourage you from rushing through red lights.

The two cities north of Dallas planned to activate newly installed red-light cameras Monday.

They're among several cities to employ the cameras as a tool to decrease red light running and side-impact accidents.

The cameras take photos of the license plates of offending vehicles, which enables police to send tickets to the registered owners of the vehicles.

Some opponents of the cameras have raised concerns that they increase rear-end collisions, serve as a "cash-cow" for cities and encroach on motorists' privacy rights.

But Plano City Council member Sally Magnuson says most residents she's heard from support the cameras.

She also argues that privacy is not a concern, saying, "If you don't run the red light, nobody will take any pictures."

Plano and Richardson have a one-month warning period before they start charging $75 civil fines for red-light infractions.