Red-Light-Running Drivers a Source of Frustration for Tucson Residents

Drivers who run red lights are always a problem, but the intersection of Orange Grove and Thornydale is a major headache for Tucson drivers lately. With traffic being diverted there from the construction site on Ina Road, the problem is worse than ever. Left turns against the red light are especially common.

It’s gotten so bad that the Marana Police Department is having a hard time conducting enforcement on the intersection. This is because when multiple vehicles run the red light, the officer on the scene is able to stop only one of them.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident with a negligent driver, you may be entitled to a car accident claim. Contact The Khalidi Law Firm to set up a free consultation. You won’t pay anything unless we win.

Accidents from Running Red Lights

According to a study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), red-light-running crashes cause tens of thousands of accidents every year. Accidents resulting from red light violations killed 811 people nationwide in 2016, and these accidents injured an estimated 137,000 people in 2015.

Another IIHS study found that accidents involving running red lights and stop signs are the most common type of crash in urban areas, accounting for 22 percent of urban crashes. These accidents are especially dangerous for bicyclists and pedestrians, who may step out into the street, wrongly expecting an oncoming car to stop.

Nearly all drivers agree that it’s not acceptable to run a red light when it’s possible to stop, but 36 percent of drivers in a 2016 survey reported having done so in the last 30 days. As you can see, these factors create conditions for many accidents every year.

Reducing Red Light Violations

The IIHS strongly recommends installing red light cameras as a countermeasure for red-light-running behaviors. They found that installing red light cameras and using them as a tool for enforcement reduced red light running by 40 to 50 percent. However, in 2015 the city of Tucson overwhelmingly voted to eliminate red light cameras from the city.

Another option for reducing red light violations would be to lengthen the amount of time the yellow signal shows before turning red. A study in Philadelphia found that lengthening the yellow signal by about one second reduced red light violations by 36 percent. Something like that has the potential to seriously reduce the incidence of red light accidents in the city, without raising any “Big Brother” concerns.

Questions? Talk to a Tucson Car Accident Lawyer

Let us help you determine whether an injury you or a loved one suffered in an accident may qualify for compensation under an auto accident claim. The Khalidi Law Firm has more than 20 years of experience helping injured persons in the Tucson area get the closure they deserve. If you have suffered injury or lost a loved one as a result of an accident, we can help. Contact our Tucson injury lawyers at The Khalidi Law Firm.