Traffic laws exist to keep drivers safe. The importance of these laws is clear if we look at the motor vehicle accidents that occur every day. Many of these accidents happen because negligent drivers break the rules of the road. Red light running accidents are no different.
What is Red Light Running?
It’s a violation for a driver to enter an intersection any time after the signal light has turned red. That doesn’t apply to drivers who are already in the intersection when the signal changes because they are waiting to turn left. It does, however, apply to those making a right turn on red. Motorists turning right must come to a complete stop before proceeding through the intersection.
Red Light Running by the Numbers
A survey by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that 85 percent of drivers think that it’s dangerous to speed through a red light, but 31 percent admitted to doing so in the past month.
Red light running is dangerous. Hundreds of thousands of people are injured in red light running crashes each year. It is also deadly. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, 846 people were killed in red light-running related accidents in 2018.
Preventing a Red Light Running Accident
Some recommendations to help drivers stay safe around intersections include:
- Get ready to stop: Hover your foot over the brake when preparing to enter any intersection. Keep a close eye on stale lights that have been green for a long time as you’ve approached them. Anticipate that they will turn yellow when you get closer.
- Tap the brake: Tapping your brakes a few times before fully applying them can help catch the attention of any distracted drivers behind you.
- Look both ways: Don’t assume that the intersection is clear just because the light has turned green for you. Taking a moment to look both ways will help ensure that you don’t drive into the path of someone running a red light.
Injured in a Red Light Running Accident in Boulder?
If you’ve been hurt in an accident caused by someone running a red light, call skilled car accident attorney Christopher Jeffress at 303-993-8685 to discuss your legal options. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Jeffress Law, PC serves clients from Boulder, Longmont, Broomfield, and surrounding Colorado areas.
