Red light runners are leaving more families grieving

Green means go, red means stop, and yellow means speed up and try to beat the red light. At least this seems to be the common belief among many drivers in South Carolina and across the country. A recent report from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety seems to confirm this. The agency’s survey shows that more people are running red lights and often with disastrous results.

If you have recently suffered injuries or lost a loved one in a traffic collision that involved a driver who ran a red light, you understand how devastating such a decision can be. While it may be little comfort, you are not alone. The most recent data shows that over 900 people died in a single year when drivers failed to stop for a red light.

Why are drivers disregarding stoplights?

It is clear that more drivers are on the road. You may have complained recently about the increased traffic on your commute to and from work. Highways and city streets are often logjammed at certain hours of the day. This frustration may contribute to the impatience many drivers feel when approaching an intersection where a light is about to turn red. A driver may feel compelled to punch the gas to make it through, forgetting that another vehicle or even a pedestrian may already be entering the intersection.

Impatience isn’t the only reason why people drive through an intersection after the light has already changed. You may be shocked to learn that almost a third of drivers who participated in AAA’s survey admitted they blow through red lights regularly. Sometimes it is a mistake because they are looking at their cell phones. Other times, they just continue through because they don’t believe they will get caught. However, getting a ticket should be the least of their worries.

Deadly mistakes

Every day, two or more people die when someone ignores a traffic signal. The impact of a vehicle racing a light often has catastrophic or even deadly consequences. You may be the victim of these consequences, one of the many whose lives have changed because of someone else’s carelessness or recklessness.

You have every right to acknowledge the unfairness of this situation, and you may wish to do so in a practical manner. Reaching out to an attorney may provide you with information and options for pursuing justice and compensation in civil court.