Red Light Running Facts

Drivers who run red lights are responsible for an estimated 260,000 crashes each year. About 800 of those are fatal. Nationwide, fatal motor vehicle crashes at traffic signals increased 16 percent between 1992 and 1998.

Characteristics of Red-Light Runners:

• The driver is usually young, driving alone, and has no children. On weekday mornings, the driver is in a rush to get to school or work.
• In fatal red-light running crashes involving two cars, the violators are more likely than the non-violators to be younger than 30 (43 percent compared with 32 percent) and to be driving with suspended, revoked or otherwise invalid driver's licenses.
• Red-light runners are generally unemployed, or employed in blue collar jobs.
• The driver is likely to have been ticketed previously for red-light running.
• Fatally injured red-light running drivers were much more likely than the other drivers in these crashes to have blood alcohol concentrations of 0.10 percent or more (35 percent compared with 6 percent), which is the legal threshold for an alcohol-impaired driving offense in most states.

Cities with High Rates of Red-Light Running Crashes

Cities with populations of more than 200,000 account for about 34 percent of all fatal red-light running crashes. The average crash rate is 2.5 crashes per 100,000 residents, but the rate varies from a high of 8.11 per 100,000 in Phoenix to a low of 0.21 per 100,000 in Oklahoma City. Rounding out the top five cities are Mesa (7.8 per 100,000), Memphis (5.45), Tucson (5.11) and St. Petersburg (4.95).

Tips to avoid running red lights

• Plan ahead. Give yourself enough time to arrive at your destination.
• Concentrate on driving.
• Limit cell phone use and don't become distracted by talking to passengers.
• Be cautious when approaching an intersection.  Don't speed up to get through it.
• Always remember to use seat belts.