Stop on Red Lights Awareness Week

Stop on Red Lights Awareness Week

By Pyle Law, Reviewed by E. Thomas Pyle August 24 2021 8:29 pm

When people do not stop on red lights, the possibility of an accident highly increases. This action is among the most common causes of motor vehicle accidents. Drivers who choose to disobey traffic laws put everyone’s lives in danger. This is why August 1 to 7 is dedicated to the National Stop on Red Week 2021 campaign. Spearheaded by the National Coalition for Safer Roads, the campaign aims to promote safe driving habits, with a focus on always stopping at red lights.

Why You Should Stop on Red Lights

Based on data collected by the NCSR:

• More than 9,200 people have died in traffic crashes involving red-light running between 2008 and 2019
• Approximately 143,000 people have been injured, and 846 have died in traffic crashes linked to running the red light
• 8 million drivers did not stop on red in 2020
• Roughly half of the deaths related to red-light running accidents involved bicyclists, pedestrians, and people in vehicles hit by drivers who ran red lights
• An estimated 875,000 violations of running the red light happened between 1 and 5 pm in 2020
• Red-light running incidents were highest during the Labor Day Weekend
• Violations, injuries, and deaths were significantly reduced in 2020 with monitoring through red-light safety cameras.

Drivers Who Don’t Stop on Red Lights

According to the 2019 Traffic Safety Culture Index survey, an estimated 86% of drivers stated that it’s extremely or very dangerous to run red lights. However, 31% of respondents admitted to running a red light within the last 30 days. The drivers involved in deadly red-light running accidents in 2019 were usually younger males who had previous convictions for drunk driving and/or prior crashes. In addition, the drivers who ran red lights were likewise more likely to be intoxicated and/or speeding during the accident and less likely to carry a driver’s license.

Do Your Part

Crashes resulting from running red lights are considered one of the leading causes of devastating T-bone and side-impact collisions and are among the top causes of catastrophic and fatal injuries. Follow these safe driving guidelines to avoid becoming a statistic for red-light running crashes:

• Always stop on red.
• Always give pedestrians adequate time to cross.
• Always wait for the red light to turn green, even if you’re the only car in a signalized intersection.
• When approaching a yellow light, always slow down and then stop. Never speed up in an attempt to beat the red light that you already know is coming.
• Keep a close eye on drivers in signalized intersections, even if the green light is on. There’s always the chance that a driver might not see the red light or choose not to stop on red.

Seek Legal Help From Our Skilled Kansas Car Accident Attorney Today

If you’ve sustained injuries in a car accident because of the negligence of another driver, discuss your case with our Kansas car accident attorney at Pyle Law. Learn how you can pursue financial compensation for your damages and other accident-connected losses by talking to our Kansas car accident attorney during your free case evaluation. Contact us online or call 620-374-9299 to arrange your appointment today.