Red Means Stop-no excuses... Gainesville accident lawyer explains the risks

Red means stop; green means go.  It sounds so simple, right?

It's one of the first traffic rules we learn in driver's education.  Yet, drivers continue to run red lights, and motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists are continually injured or killed when cars don't stop.

As an experienced auto accident attorney in Gainesville, Florida, I urge motorists to stop on red-no excuses.  Earlier this summer, the National Safety Commission (NSC) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) celebrated National Stop on Red Week.  Just because the campaign is over, doesn't mean Floridians should forget the message-stop on red.

Here are some statistics to remind us to stop:

• In 2007, red-light running caused more than 900 deaths and 154,000 injuries nationwide (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) & NSC).

• In 2009, about 63% (1,487) of all fatal Florida accidents were intersection related or occurred in an intersection (2009 Florida Crash Report).

• St. Petersburg, Fla., ranks in the top five cities nationwide with the highest rates of red light running (4.95 crashes per 100,000 residents) and deaths (7.6 per 100,000 persons) (U.S. Dept. of Transportation, 1997).

• Motorists are more likely to be injured in red-light-running accidents than any other type of wreck (FHWA).

• Florida ranks 7^th in states with highest death rates in red light running crashes (3.1 deaths per 100,000 residents)( U.S. Dept. of Transportation, 1997).

• In 2008, Florida was the deadliest state for bicyclists and pedestrians, which may be related to failure to obey traffic signals at intersections (National Highway Traffic Safety Commission).

Don't let any excuses stop you from stiopping! You may be suprised to find out what the top 10 excuses are for running a red light.