Oklahoma Car Accident Injury Law Library TOPIC: Red Light Running Car Accidents

Car accidents at intersections are among the most dangerous type of accident. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has identified intersection accidents, especially those caused by red light running, as a major threat to the health and safety of people on our roads.

According to IIHS, 676 people were killed as a result of red-light running accidents in 2009, and 113,000 suffered injury. Unfortunately, most of the time the people killed are not the driver responsible. Sixty-four percent, or nearly two-thirds, of those killed were people other than the driver running the red light. About half (46%) of those killed were in the vehicle obeying the traffic signal.

These numbers have been coming down recently, according to the IIHS, due to an increased use of red light cameras. The statistics are heartening. In cities where red light cameras are installed, the number of injury crashes can reduce anywhere from 13% to 32%, with front-to-side injury crashes reducing by as much as 68%. Some worry that red light cameras may lead to an increase in rear-end accidents, but not all studies show this trend. Even in studies that do show increased rear-end accidents, the overall cost of accidents decreased due to the fact that rear-end accidents tend to be lower-severity. Red light cameras have been installed in Oklahoma City, Norman, and Tulsa, but we don’t have statistics for their impact yet.

Red light running remains a major factor in car accidents, and still leads to death and serious injury. If you have suffered injury or lost a loved one due to this type of accident, you may be able to receive compensation for your injury or loss.

To learn more about your legal rights and options after a red light running car accident in Oklahoma City, please contact Self & Associates for a free initial consultation.