Intersections are one of the most dangerous places you can drive. Much of the danger just comes from other drivers. They fail to use the intersection properly or they ignore the traffic control devices, like red lights. If a driver runs a red light, a T-bone accident is highly likely and could lead to severe injuries.
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, there were more than 1,100 fatal accidents in 2022 that happened because one driver ran a red light. Those statistics are only for a single year. If you extrapolate this data to mean that over 1,000 people are dying every year in these accidents, the true toll becomes clear. Plus, many who survive these accidents still have serious injuries.
Why does this keep happening?
If the statistics make it clear that red light running is highly dangerous, why do people still do it? Here are a few potential reasons:
- The driver is distracted and doesn’t see the light or doesn’t notice that it turned red.
- The driver is impaired and is not making prudent cognitive decisions. They may not see the light, they may not understand what it means or they may even intentionally decide to run it.
- The driver is in a rush and doesn’t want to wait in traffic. Many of these accidents happen when drivers see the light turn yellow and speed up, rather than slowing down.
Regardless of the specific reason, red light running can cause serious accidents in just a split second. There may be nothing you can do to avoid another dangerous driver. If you have been injured, then you need to know how to seek financial compensation.