Americans Hit Hard By Red Light Running
BINGHAMTON, NY - August 27 - September 2 celebrates National Stop on Red Week. This promotion addresses an important component of traffic safety, the driver. According to a recently released survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the American Trauma Society (ATS), two of three Americans see other drivers run red lights almost every day. To address this problem locally, the Broome County Health Department, Broome County Traffic Safety Board and local Law Enforcement are encouraging motorists to do one simple thing, stop at all red lights.
The campaign's local goal is to reduce the motor vehicle collisions occurring at traffic signals, from irresponsible driving behaviors. Red light running is often a factor in intersection crashes. Red light running crashes alone cost Americans an estimated $7 billion a year.
The survey, which polled 800 licensed drivers between the ages of 18 and 65, also found that:
- Ninety-six percent of Americans fear a red light runner will hit them when they enter an intersection.
- One in three Americans claim they personally know someone who has been injured or killed in a red light running crash - similar to the percentage of people who know someone killed or injured by a drunk driver.
- About twenty-one percent said they feel that drunk driving incidents are decreasing, but only 6 percent felt that incidents of red light running were decreasing.
"The numbers suggest that, although people feel it's wrong to run red lights, they're still doing it," says Harry Teter, executive director of the ATS. The survey also asked drivers to speculate as to why other motorists run red lights. The response - 60 percent - was that they were in a hurry.
"Apparently these offenders don't consider that the snap decision they make to run the red light has the potential to change - or end - a life forever," said Teter.
The Stop Red Light Running campaign originated with the Federal Highway Administration-s 1995 local community efforts. Early results of the campaign showed that it has raised awareness of the dangers of red light running by 60 percent and reduced crashes at some intersections in some communities by 43 percent.
"Safe driving is everyone-s business," states Lucas Davis, Traffic Safety Coordinator for the Broome County Health Department. "Furthermore observing red light signals eliminates the unnecessary vehicular crashes involved at intersections, a problem that is apparent within all urban transportation systems across the globe," states Mr. Davis.
For more information regarding this promotion or other traffic safety education information contact Lucas Davis, Public Health Educator for the Broome County Health Department at 607.778.2807.
CONTACT:
Diane O'Hora, Supervising Public Health Educator
Broome County Health Department: 607.778.3921
email: dohora@co.broome.ny.us
Lucas Davis, Traffic Safety Coordinator
Broome County Health Department: 607.778.2807
email: lddavis@co.broome.ny.us
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