Fatality rates from red light runners

California roads can be dangerous in cities with heavy traffic and a lot of distracted drivers. One of the most dangerous things that a driver can do on the road is to run a red light. Whether red-light runners are purely reckless or making a mistake because they are distracted, their actions cause deaths every day.

Two people die every day from red-light runners

In data analysis, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety discovered that at least two people are killed in red-light running accidents each day in the U.S. The most recent data from 2017 showed that red-light running increased by 28% since 2012. That year, 939 people died in red-light running accidents, which was a 10-year record.

One-third of drivers admit to running red lights

According to a survey analyzed by AAA, 1 out of 3 drivers admitted that they had run a red light sometime in the past 30 days. The same survey showed that 85% of drivers believed that red-light running is very dangerous, and 2 out of 5 drivers thought the police would probably not stop them from running a red light.

Who gets killed in red-light running accidents?

The victims of fatal red-light running accidents are usually the occupants of other vehicles. AAA found that 46% of the people killed in these motor vehicle accidents were the occupants or drivers of other cars. Pedestrians and cyclists represented 5% of the deaths while the red light runners themselves represented 35% of the deaths.

Holding red-light runners accountable

Although police can’t be there to witness every driver who runs a red light, red-light runners are sometimes caught by traffic cameras. People who have been injured in a crash involving a red light runner may also decide to file a personal injury claim against the reckless driver.