You are sitting at a red light, waiting for it to turn green, when your child says something to you from the back seat. You turn your head to answer just as the light turns green, so it delays your reaction.
This is fortunate for both you and your child because a lifted pickup truck runs the red light directly in front of you. If you would have driven forward on time, you would have been hit and suffered serious injuries. You could have even been killed.
Many people have found themselves in this position before, and it can really be eye-opening, showing you how common red-light runners really are.
Annual injuries
One way to look at the problem is to consider how many people are injured in accidents caused by red-light runners every year. Studies estimate that the annual number is around 165,000. Since this is a recurring figure, you are looking at more than 1 million injuries every decade.
You can also consider how many people have lost their lives in these accidents. The same report found that, over the previous 10 years, almost 9,000 people had died in accidents involving red-light runners. Some of those who died were other motorists, but the figure also includes pedestrians and cyclists.
Seeking compensation
Red-light runners are one of the reasons why intersections are the most dangerous places to drive. Even if you follow the rules of the road perfectly and do not make any mistakes, you could be seriously injured in a split second due to another driver’s negligence. You may be able to seek financial compensation, so be sure you know what legal steps to take.