Running a red light is an offense that can have catastrophic consequences.
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, more than fifty percent of all Americans admit to running red lights, and it’s the leading cause of urban crashes.
What Classifies as Running a Red Light?
While each jurisdiction may define it differently, it typically means vehicles entered an intersection after the traffic signal changed to red. Depending on the state, the law may follow permissive yellow regulations. This means drivers who entered the intersection while the light was yellow are not violating the law if the light turns red before they can proceed.
Main Causes of Red Light Accidents
Drivers who run red lights are a danger to themselves as well as others on the road. Common reasons people run red lights include:
- Reckless driving
- Failure to recognize the change in signal
- Fatigue
- Speeding
- Distracted driving
- Inexperienced drivers
Those who are between the ages of 18 and 25 or have passengers are more likely to run a red light. The National Coalition for Safer Roads reports that Friday has highest number of occurrences, while Sunday has the lowest.
Injuries
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that seven fatalities and 1,000 injuries occur every day due to red light accidents. Injuries may include organ damage, lacerations, internal bleeding, broken collar bones, whiplash, and spinal cord injuries.
If you sustained injuries when another driver ran a red light, please contact us. Should you have a valid claim, we will fight hard on your behalf to get you a fair settlement.