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Red-Light Car Crashes in Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs Red-Light Car Accident Law Firm

You’re running late once again. There’s a red light approaching, and you know it’ll catch you off guard, adding minutes to your journey. You appear to have hit every red light on your trip across town, and you’re quite sure you’ll end up sitting at everyone who is still in front of you.

Unfortunately, even one time running a red light may have disastrous results. Failure to yield to approaching traffic as required by a red light greatly increases the risk of an accident. If you run a red light and cause an accident, you will very certainly be held legally responsible for the injuries and property damage you caused.

WHY DO PEOPLE RUN THROUGH RED LIGHTS?

A high percentage of drivers (56%) confess to sometimes running red lights. The majority of the time, drivers disregard a signal that has just turned red. Drivers often jump red lights when the car in front of them at an intersection waits a little too long to go through or when they believe they can beat the yellow light and overestimate the time.

The great majority of individuals speed through red lights because they are irritated or in a hurry. This is reasonable in our fast-paced environment, but it also indicates a basic misunderstanding of risk and returns.

Is it worth risking a horrific car accident and perhaps dying to get at a place one or two minutes later? No, most of the time. Others may run red lights because they are irresponsible and don’t care about their own or others’ safety, or because they assume no one is looking, and so why not? These individuals are taking unnecessary risks for no reason, which is the height of irresponsibility.

Some individuals also fail to stop at red lights because they cannot do so promptly. To put it another way, their red light infractions are the outcome of a distinct offense: speeding.

Speeding, of course, lowers stopping time, increasing the chance of running a red light. When drivers speed, they must decide whether it is safer to slam on the brakes, which has its risks, or fly through the light, praying there is no approaching cross-traffic. This is a split- second choice that drivers must make, and getting it wrong may be disastrous.

Running a red light isn’t always due to a conscious choice to disregard a traffic signal. Instead, other individuals run red lights not because they want to but because they can’t see the light in the first place. This can occur when:

  • drivers lose situational awareness while driving long distances; 
  • drivers focus on a distracting device such as a smartphone or GPS instead of the road ahead;
  • drivers are impaired by alcohol or drugs; or
  • the location or mode of operation of the red light makes it difficult for drivers to see or anticipate.

Regardless of the driver’s motivations or lack thereof, running red lights puts the driver, his passengers, and any other cars on the road at grave risk. Even if a motorist has a compelling cause to jump a red light, such as a life-or-death situation, it’s critical not to speed through an intersection while the signal is red.

The risk of a catastrophic accident with oncoming cars is just too great. Even under the most desperate situations, drivers must pay close attention to their surroundings and adhere to the road regulations to ensure that they and other road users arrive at their destination safely.

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RUNNING A RED LIGHT HAS CONSEQUENCES

A split-second judgment is commonly the cause of running a red light. Few drivers have the time or aptitude to weigh the likelihood of life-altering repercussions before making a choice.

Running a red light is more likely than other kinds of accidents to result in serious injury. When you run a red light, you usually go at a faster-than-average speed through the junction. Unfortunately, drivers in cross-traffic with a green signal are as well.

Furthermore, red-light running accidents often result in at-bone collisions, in which one car collides with the other on one side. The occupants of the car impacted on its side are often injured or killed in these angular crashes. This is because most cars have extensive safeguards in the front and back that absorb the power of a collision. On the sides of cars, there are no crumple zones. The driver and passengers are just inches away from the cause of a side hit, increasing the chances of serious injury.

Red light running accidents result in a high number of deaths. Around 60 individuals died per month in 2015 as a result of collisions involving a ran red light. This equates to more than 800 fatalities per year or almost two fatal accidents caused by running a red light per day in the United States.

Furthermore, approximately 200,000 individuals are wounded in red-light running accidents every year, and the law considers running a red light to be aggressive driving. In the eyes of the law, aggressive driving displays a driver’s disregard for the health and safety of his passengers and others on the road, exposing the driver to a greater danger of harsh fines and even criminal penalties for causing an accident.

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU GET INTO AN ACCIDENT AFTER A RED LIGHT RUN?

As a motorist, you have a responsibility to avoid driving in a manner that might endanger others on the road. If you violate that obligation by creating an accident, you may be held legally responsible for the damages that occur.

RUNNING A RED LIGHT IS A VIOLATION OF YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO OTHERS ON THE ROAD.

If you run a red light, you risk being held legally accountable for any accidents that occur due to your actions. It won’t matter whether the light had just turned red or if you tried to proceed through the junction when traffic was heavy.

If you broke the law and failed to take care of other drivers on the road, you’ll almost certainly be held partly responsible for the collision and the injuries it causes. This may signify several things.

YOU AND YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY MAY BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES.

Anyone who has been damaged due to your conduct in running a red light may claim compensation under your automotive liability coverage. If the other motorist has medical payments coverage, the first $10,000 in medical costs and missed time at work will most likely be covered by that driver’s insurance.

On the other hand, your insurance provider may be liable for covering such expenditures up to the policy’s limitations. Beyond that, you could be held personally liable.

YOU MIGHT LOSE YOUR INSURANCE COVERAGE.

After a major accident, your insurance company may decide not to cover you anymore, particularly if you’ve been in more than one catastrophic accident within the last three years. Even if you can maintain your insurance after a catastrophic accident, your rates may climb dramatically.

YOU MIGHT BE ISSUED A TRAFFIC TICKET OR EVEN CRIMINAL CHARGES.

If you run a red light and cause an accident, you will certainly be charged for a traffic infraction. There’s also a risk you’ll face criminal charges, especially if someone else was critically wounded or died due to the accident. This might result in you losing your driver’s license, losing your job, or even losing your freedom, depending on your circumstances.

In the short second, before they choose to run a red light, no one considers these consequences. That is why they are mentioned here. Running red lights has real and perhaps disastrous consequences. It is just not worth the risk of incurring such fees by running a red light.

THE STEPS STATES ARE TAKING TO REDUCE RED-LIGHT RUNNING

Legislators and administrative bodies in numerous states have recognized the dangers of red- light running and have attempted to mitigate them.

Traffic cameras may assist prevent people from running red lights. Red-light running may be reduced by as much as 67 percent in intersections with traffic cameras, particularly those known to be monitored and where traffic violations result in tickets.

However, it has been argued that this method may not be effective in reducing accidents at traffic signals in certain circumstances. When faced with a yellow light, drivers concerned about penalties are more inclined to slam on their brakes or stop abruptly, increasing the risk of rear-end accidents.

On the other hand, rear-end crashes are often much less dangerous than accidents in the center of an intersection, making the trade-off for many communities to install these cameras perhaps justifiable. To decrease red-light running, yellow light periods have been changed.

The duration of yellow light varies depending on a variety of things. A yellow light is meant to provide cars in the center of a junction enough time to safely navigate the intersection before traffic resumes its normal flow. Drivers must have sufficient time to slow down, halt, and examine the traffic flow around them.

The duration of yellow light, on the other hand, does not affect the number of drivers who are inclined to run red lights. Drivers rapidly adapt to changes in yellow light periods, and once they know how long the light will be yellow, they are just as likely to run the red light.

It’s up to drivers to be responsible. Legislators and administrative agencies may make efforts to assist minimize the number of accidents on the road. Still, if drivers don’t follow the rules, they won’t have much of an influence.

ACCIDENTS AT RED LIGHTS: HOW TO AVOID THEM

While there are no assurances that red-light running accidents will not occur, there are procedures that drivers may take to reduce their chances of being involved in one.

STOP SPEEDING THROUGH RED LIGHTS

You should immediately quit the habit of speeding through intersections or accelerating when you see a yellow light. Red lights are an essential safety tool that assists keep drivers safe while keeping traffic flow. Instead of seeing them as an annoying imposition that gets in the way of your journey, remember that they are a required safety tool that helps keep drivers safe while maintaining traffic flow.

TRAVEL AT A SAFE AND APPROPRIATE PACE

If you’re used to speeding, you could find it difficult to come to a complete stop when you see a yellow light, particularly if it’s a short yellow. Respecting the regulations of the road and driving at a safe pace, on the other hand, would make it simpler to stop your car on time, reducing the chances of a red light collision.

PROCEED SLOWLY

When the light turns green, stop and wait before proceeding through a junction. Count to three before moving your car through the junction, and check to see whether the intersection is clear before proceeding.

KEEP AN EYE ON THE TRAFFIC FLOW AROUND YOU

While sitting at a red light, many drivers are tempted to check their phones or do other things inside their cars. Rather, pay attention to the traffic flow. Are there any drivers that seem to be acting strangely? Is there a lot of traffic? If this is the case, the chances of someone running a red light may rise.

DO YOU REQUIRE LEGAL ASSISTANCE FOLLOWING AN ACCIDENT?

If you were in an accident caused by a car that ran a red light, whether you were the driver or the victim, you might need legal assistance to figure out who owes who damages. Don’t put off getting assistance. To book a free consultation to explore the details of your accident and learn more about how we may be able to assist, call 719-300-1100 now.

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