How many crashes are related to red-light running?
Traffic crashes are the single most significant cause of preventable death and injury in North America. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (http://www.iihs.org), as many as 171,000 crashes, 144,000 injuries and 887 fatalities were attributed to red-light running in the U.S. in 2006. Public costs of these crashes exceed $14 billion per year. More than half of the deaths in red-light running crashes are other motorists and pedestrians. There is no doubt that red-light runners are dangerous drivers who irresponsibly put others at risk. In performing traffic studies at the local intersections where Nassau County considered placing the camera systems, the County recorded a very high number of red-light running violations. Obviously, the more violations, the higher the risk to pedestrians and drivers of becoming victims of a red-light running related crash. Unfortunately, a simple look at crash data does not easily identify the cause of collisions. Therefore, providing a
