Red light running is a serious problem on the road. Thousands of people suffer injuries in these car accidents every year. Hundreds of people pass away from their injuries. All of these car accidents are entirely avoidable if drivers properly follow traffic signals.
But they do not, and studies have found that it is very common. For instance, one study tracked vehicles that ran a red light at a specific intersection and found that, on average, someone did so every 20 minutes. This is not something that just happens every so often. It is happening constantly, all across the state.
Driver distraction
One potential reason why people run red lights is that they get distracted. A driver may not see the light turn red if they are looking down at their phone or talking to a passenger.
Impaired driving
Impairment from drugs or alcohol can have a similar effect. A drunk driver may run a red light without even being aware that they are approaching an intersection.
Rushing and aggressive driving
In many cases, though, the issue is simply that the driver is in a hurry. They are more focused on rushing to their destination, even if that means they are not driving safely.
For instance, a driver may be a few minutes late for work during their morning commute. The light ahead of them turns yellow, indicating that they should slow down so they can stop in time. But instead, that driver hits the gas, trying to speed through the yellow light. It still turns red before they get there, and they run the red light.
Compensation after an accident
These types of crashes should not happen and can have a devastating impact on innocent victims. Those who have been hurt need to know how to seek financial compensation.