Stretch of Sacramento's Florin Road to get technology aimed at reducing crashes involving red light runners

Red light running is one of the top causes of serious car crashes in Sacramento. Now, a one-mile stretch of Florin Road between 24th and Munson Way is getting technology to help prevent these types of collisions.

When drivers approach a yellow light, it's often a split-second decision on whether they should stop or go.

"You always have that hesitant thought, should I slow down, speed up, stop?" Damien Phillips said.

Phillips works near the intersection of 24th and Florin Road and said he sees close calls nearly every day.

"A lot of people tend to speed up to get through that light because they don't want to sit there," he said.

Florin Road is one of Sacramento's top five most dangerous streets. Last October, a 60-year-old man was killed by a hit-and-run driver at this intersection.

So far this year, two other pedestrians have died along Florin Road.

"It's not safe," Phillips said.

Now the City of Sacramento is spending more than $5 million on traffic safety improvements to this stretch of Florin. It includes installing new sensors called "advanced dilemma zone detectors" that can prevent crashes involving red-light runners.

"When the light turns yellow, the driver doesn't know exactly what to do," said Don Leavitt, who works with Wavetronix, which makes the technology.

He said it uses radar to change the timing on stoplights and keep a light green when it detects drivers are going too fast to make it through the intersection.

"If they don't have enough time to come to a safe stop and they slam on their breaks they run the risk of getting hit from behind. 
If they try to beat the red light and get through the intersection, they increase the likelihood that they might be involved in a t-bone or side-on accident. Both of them are equally bad," Leavitt said.

"That makes a lot of sense and I would agree with doing that," Phillips said.

The city also plans on making improvements to bike lanes, crosswalk signals, and sidewalks along Florin Road.

Phillips hopes the traffic safety changes will save lives.

"It is dangerous out here and they definitely need to do something to fix it," Phillips said.

The Sacramento City Council will consider approving more funding for the Florin Road project next Tuesday. The majority of the money comes from federal transportation funds.