Running Red Lights Linked To 1,900 Fatalities

DETROIT (WWJ) - A study of traffic crashes shows more than 3,500 wrecks could have been avoided last year by one simple step: stopping when the traffic light is "red".

Kajal Patel is a transportation engineer with SEMCOG, the southeast Michigan council of governments. She says too many drivers are in a hurry...and often distracted.

"We want to do multi-tasking ... like putting on make-up, or reading the newspaper, or getting something out of the purse ... or maybe kids, (you are distracted) by other passengers," said Patel.

"Unfortunately, Michigan does not use 'run red light' cameras ... but that could be a great enforcement technique,"  she said.

Patel says that there were 1900 fatalities, a figure that is up from last year, in cases of red light running.

SEMCOG says Detroit, Sterling Heights, Warren, Dearborn and Livonia have the most red-light running crashes, based on a 3 year average.

The Federal Highway Administration has launched a week-long campaign, cautioning people against running red lights.