In 2017, there were 939 people in Florida and across the U.S. who died in crashes caused by red-light runners. The AAA said that this represented a 28% increase from 2012 and marked a 10-year high. Of the victims, nearly half were passengers or drivers in other cars than the offenders’. Just over one third were the red-light runners.
The AAA had conducted a survey before where 85% of drivers admitted that running a red light is dangerous. Yet one in three said that in the previous 30 days, they ran a red light even when they could have stopped. Moreover, two in five said that they don’t believe the police would ever pull them over for such risky driving.
Whether drivers run a red light by intentionally speeding or unintentionally through inattention, there is little that deters them from doing it. For this reason, some experts believe that cities should install red-light cameras at the most dangerous intersections. These take pictures of violators and let the police decide whether or not to ticket them. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says cameras can reduce red-light violations by 40%.
Despite the rise in red-light running crash fatalities, traffic deaths overall have declined. The National Safety Council reported a 1% decrease from 2017 to 2018.
Running a red light is clearly an act of negligence, and whenever it’s behind car accidents, it can form the basis for a personal injury claim on the part of the victims. However, such a claim needs to meet certain requirements since Florida is a no-fault state and most cases are resolved with one’s own insurance company. To see what their options are and how to move forward, victims may hire a lawyer. Legal representation may make negotiations easier as well.