Running red lights or other traffic controls is the most
common cause of all urban crashes, says the FHWA.
On average, a driver runs a red light every 20 minutes at urban intersections,
and in the last decade, red-light running crashes killed nearly 9,000 people.
Other facts about red-light running from the FHWA include the following:
- An estimated 165, 000 motorists, cyclist and pedestrains are injured annually by red-light runners.
- Half of the people killed by red-light runners are passengers or other motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.
- Nearly 93% of drivers believe running a red light is unacceptable, yet 1 in 3 reported doing so in the past 30 days.
- An average of 7 fatal crashes and more than 1,000 injury crashes every day occur at signalized intersections across the U.S.
- The cost to society of all crashes exceeds $320 billion annually.
Running a red light could lead to tickets, vehicle damage,
higher insurance cost, lengthy and expensive hospital stay and irreversible
consequences if injuring or killing someone else. The FHWA is encouraging
drivers to be prepared now to stop on red as a driver, cyclist or pedestrian.
For more information, click here.