If you're trying to avoid a traffic ticket, there's an app for that.  Mobile phone technology is helping drivers beat red light and speeding cameras.

Some motorists called them a "cash cow" for the city, others firmly believed the high tech cameras helped make roads safer.

New apps were giving motorists an edge on these cameras by helping track their locations.

Tucson Police Sgt. Timothy Beam said the goal of the red light and speed cameras was simple.

"We want to get traffic across town as safely and expeditiously as possible," said Beam.

Now in a battle pitting technology against technology, there was an eye in the sky, watching the eyes on the street.

Satellites were helping drivers spot the red light cameras, speed traps, and dui check points, right before you get to them.

Could your smart phone really out-smart the bright flash of these lenses?

We put the Phantom Alert app to the test, and sure enough, right as we approached a known red light camera intersection in the city, the app alerted us to slow down as there was a red light camera ahead.

It did the same thing for a speed camera.

The notice came right as we drove up to the intersection, so a few more seconds earlier would have been more helpful.

The technology relies on users to input red light camera, speed camera, and radar van locations, so it only identifies those locations that have been flagged by previous users.

Police did not seem to have a problem with this smart phone technology.

"If it slows somebody down, or makes somebody think twice of whether or not they're going to go through a red light, we've accomplished our mission," said Sgt. Beam.

What did concern police though, was drivers constantly look down at the app while driving.  Police said distracted drivers led to most of the traffic crashes on the roads.

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