Red Light Running - The Dangers of Beating the Red Light

What is red light running? Put simply, it is a driver's attempt to 'beat the red light' and thus drive on despite the presence of a red light signal. It may not seem so offensive but did you know that it is the second most driving behavior?

Red light running may not be regarded as a serious offense but it's possible consequences are a serious threat to life and limb.

What’s So Wrong about Red Light Running?

Driving under the influence of intoxication or other harmful substances ranks as the most dangerous of driving behavior but red light running actually comes in as a close second. It is a simple enough traffic regulation—red means stop. Your vehicle has to come to a full stop when the red light is on for a number of reasons—it could be to allow another lane to pass and it could also be for allowing pedestrians to cross the street. But this age-old traffic signal seems to have lost its potency and less people are following this traffic rule.

Billions of dollars are lost each year due to traffic incidents caused by red light running, which often goes to the medical costs of accidents, paying for the property damaged and jacking up insurance rates.

It is the responsibility of every community to ensure that stricter traffic legislation is imposed and that streets become safer for everyone. This can only be done if strategic partnerships are established with the law enforcement agencies, the media and even the political leaders in the community. Once these groups come together, the severity of the damage and the relevance of compliance when it comes to red light running issues can be adequately addressed.

Red Light Running - One Step Closer to a Solution

One of the steps taken to counter the prevalence of red light running has been the installation of a red light running detection program. The traditional method of preventing red light running has been to allocate a number of police officers to a given area and catch any lawbreakers. But there are limited numbers when it comes to manpower and once a chase ensues, it can be very dangerous for both parties. An automated detection program was then set in place, where cameras are placed at particularly busy and accident-prone intersections.

The technology used in red light running detection is actually quite sophisticated. It does not simply record the movement of approaching vehicles, but it also detects speed. The red light running camera is actually linked to the system that controls the traffic signals. Once the light turns red, then the camera will take two photographs of any vehicles that pass. The time and the date of occurrence will also be recorded.

In this way, violations will be seen and cannot be disputed by drivers since everything has been caught by the camera. Police departments become responsible for enforcing the law through the help of technology like this that works against red light running.

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