Top 10 reasons to Stop on Red

10. In 2006, almost 900 people were killed and an estimated 144,000 were injured in crashes that involved red-light running.

9. About half of the deaths in red-light running crashes are pedestrians and occupants in other vehicles who are hit by the red-light runners.

8. The T-bone intersection crashes caused by red-light runners create the most severe injuries.

7. A 2005 review of red-light camera studies around the world concluded that cameras reduce red-light violations by 40–50 percent and reduce injury crashes by 25-30 percent.

6. Motorists are more likely to be injured in urban crashes involving red-light running than in other types of urban crashes.

5. An analysis of red-light violation data from 19 intersections in four states found that 1,775 violations occurred over 554 hours, for a violation rate of 3.2 per hour.

4. Red-light runners are more than three times as likely to have multiple speeding convictions on their driver records.

3. Occupant injuries occurred in 45 percent of red-light running crashes, compared with 30 percent of other crash types.

2. Of 13 crash types identified, running traffic controls accounted for 22 percent of all crashes.

1. Red-light running is dangerous.

Source: Facts found on the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety website www.iihs.org.

Despite the significant efforts of many people and organizations across the state and an unprecedented 85% statewide public support for legislation, the 2008 legislature, once again, could not get its act together and agree on and pass red light camera standards. The legislative session is closed and there are still no statewide red light camera standards.

We heard a common drum beat from so many of you in the cities and counties that the legislature continues to rob the municipalities of resources needed to support their vital services, like public safety. As a result, we fully expect that more and more cities will follow the lead of the dozen or more Florida cities that have opted to move forward with red light camera programs, fed up with a lack of leadership out of the legislature which has stymied red light legislation for over 10 years while hundreds of innocent Floridians have died in red light running collisions and thousands more have been injured and perhaps billions of dollars wasted on needless traffic collisions.

Perhaps a tidal wave of cities moving forward with red light cameras on their own, using common sense, and determining their own local public safety priorities will spur the state legislature to action. Either way, red light cameras are here to stay and over 300 cities across the USA have made them work to save lives.

We should all thank Melissa Wandall, President of the Stop Red Light Running Coalition of Florida for her determined efforts this session. She traveled to the legislature countless times on her own time and her own dime (and with her young daughter) to push for passage of this measure. We feel badly for her as she continues to be victimized by the legislature year after year following the loss of her husband. Let’s not let his sad passing be for naught.

In addition to directly contacting your State Senator and State Representative, visit http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/redlight/ to add your name to a petition sent to legislators.