Originally Published: August 3, 2015. • Re-published: August 3, 2022 • Updated: July 30, 2026
Picture this. You’re on the way to pick up your kids. As you near a stop light, it turns from green to yellow. You’re so close. Do you slow down and stop or make a mad dash through the intersection after it has turned red? Unfortunately, many drivers choose the latter, speeding through and possibly colliding with another vehicle.
Yellow means slow down, not speed up. Yet rushing through intersections is one of the most common — and quite dangerous — driving behaviors on our roads.
Red light running is a serious intersection safety issue. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, in 2024, 1,119 people were killed, and more than 141,000 were injured in car crashes because someone ran a red light. About half of those were not even the driver; they were pedestrians, bicyclists, and occupants in other vehicles who were hit by the red light runners.
Simply put, red light running is when a car enters an intersection any time after the signal light has turned red.
Red light cameras are an effective way to discourage red light running. They automatically photograph vehicles that go through red lights. The cameras are connected to the traffic signal and sensors that monitor traffic flow before reaching the crosswalk or stop line.
Proper signal timing makes intersections safer. Adequate yellow time reduces red light running and leads to fewer crashes.
When you have questions, our team is here to answer them for you.
Source: National Coalition for Safer Roads
Running a red light is not about you risking a traffic ticket; it is about you putting the lives of other drivers and pedestrians at risk.
Listen to this story about Amanda who was severely injured when a dump truck driver ran a red light and broadsided her SUV.
Is your state one of the top ten for red light running? Take a look at this red light running fatality map for 2019.
Every August, National Stop on Red Week raises awareness about intersection safety. Join the National Coalition for Safer Roads in spreading the message: Stop on red. Every time.
NCSR works year‑round to educate drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians, promote red‑light safety cameras, and help communities launch their own outreach efforts
Have you or a loved one been seriously injured because another driver ran a red light? Call the Kansas City‑based law firm of Nash & Franciskato at (877) 284-6600. You’ll speak directly with a member of our team and receive a free, no‑obligation case evaluation.
START YOUR FREE CASE EVALUATION TODAY
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Find related blog articles: Automobile Accidents or Personal Injury
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Photo Credit: dvoevnore(Анастасия Золотницкая) – Traffic lights with red lit via www.depositphotos.com
