Skip to main content

New report reveals red-light running data and trends across 20 states

More than 3.5 million drivers in 20 US states ran a red light in 2013, according to the second biannual Safer Roads Report 2014: Trends in Red-Light Running from the National Coalition for Safer Roads (NCSR). The report, released today, examines red-light running trends across 20 states and is designed to help raise driver awareness of the dangers of red-light running. The risks of red-light running are clear: intersection-related vehicle accidents caused more than 8,500 causalities in 2011 – the most r
May 22, 2014 Read time: 2 mins
More than 3.5 million drivers in 20 US states ran a red light in 2013, according to the second biannual Safer Roads Report 2014: Trends in Red-Light Running from the 5755 National Coalition for Safer Roads (NCSR).

The report, released today, examines red-light running trends across 20 states and is designed to help raise driver awareness of the dangers of red-light running. The risks of red-light running are clear: intersection-related vehicle accidents caused more than 8,500 causalities in 2011 – the most recent year for which data is available – according to the 834 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

NCSR's report analysed red-light running data collected from 2,216 red-light safety cameras across 202 areas in 20 states.

Report highlights include: Memorial Day weekend was the highest ranked holiday travel period, with 39,021 red-light running violations in 2013; Halloween had the lowest number of red-light running violations in 2013, with 28,902 total ; Friday proved to be the worst day for intersection safety in 2013 — safety cameras caught 570,151 total red-light running violations — while Sunday saw the fewest violations, with 439,323 total; Drivers most frequently ran red lights in the afternoon, with 30.07 percent (1,070,572) of all red-light running violations in 2013 occurring from 1 pm to 5 pm.

"By highlighting the data and trends around red-light running, we hope to educate the public on the dangers of running red lights," said David Kelly, executive director, NCSR, and Former Acting Administrator of NHTSA. "The information in the report reveals when we are most vulnerable on the road and reminds everyone to stay alert and safe near intersections."

Related Content

  • White lines? Cyclists need more
    August 5, 2020
    Just painting lines on the road isn’t sufficient to persuade most people to cycle – you need to separate them from motor vehicles altogether. David Arminas talks to transportation engineer Tyler Golly about the Covid ‘wake-up call’
  • Maruti Suzuki partners with Delhi police on traffic enforcement
    March 4, 2019
    Automotive manufacturer Maruti Suzuki has partnered with the Delhi Police to stop red-light running and speeding. The partners are launching a red light and speed violation detection system along the 14km ring road between the Dhaula Kuan intersection and Sarai Kale Khan village, near the Indian capital. Maruti’s system, which has 3D radars and more than 100 high-resolution cameras, is also expected to capture the registration numbers of vehicles involved in wrong-way driving or failure to stop at st
  • GHSA report highlights distracted driving
    February 26, 2021
    Evaluation still needed in US to determine effectiveness of in-vehicle phone use laws
  • Reflecting on five years of important ITS progress
    January 7, 2013
    Former head of the ITS Joint Program Office Shelley Row has passed the baton to a new director. Now working as an independent consultant, here she reflects on her five years at the helm of the JPO and what the future may hold for ITS in the US. During a mid-morning in Paris earlier this year, having just landed, I decided to take a trip on the city’s subway (Paris’ underground metro) into the city centre. A family with a small boy – about nine years old – boarded the same train. They were American and we st