Red Light Crashes on the Rise in Arizona

In 2022, Arizona saw almost 5,000 red-light running crashes. Arizona is number one in the nation for red light runners. Innocent people are dying as a result or red light crashes.

In 2022, Arizona saw nearly 70 fatalities as a result of red-light running crashes. According to AAA, Arizona is number one in the nation when it comes to the number of people killed by drivers running red lights. In Arizona, Phoenix sees the most deadly red-light crashes in Arizona, while Tucson sees the second-most.

Who is Harmed the Most by Red Light Running?

According to AAA, 46% of those killed in red-light running crashes were passengers or people in other vehicles, and more than 5% were pedestrians or cyclists. Just over 35% of those killed were the drivers who ran the red light.

Across the Country, Red Light Running Deaths Have Been Increasing Since 2012

According to AAA, red-light running fatalities have risen by 28% since 2012. Red-light running fatalities have now reached their highest level in 10 years.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, between 2008 and 2021, approximately 11,296 people were killed in red-light running crashes throughout the U.S. In 2021, over 1,110 people died due to red-light running. In Arizona alone, nearly 59 people were killed in red-light running crashes in 2021. Sadly, the number of fatalities went up the following year to 70.

When American drivers were polled recently about red-light running, the vast majority said they knew ignoring red lights is both illegal and extremely dangerous. However, about a third of the drivers surveyed admitted to running a red light during the previous 30 days. Too many motorists are ignoring or failing to notice a red light.

How to Reduce Red Light Crashes

Other than driver vigilance, there is no single way to reduce the number of red-light crashes. Some studies suggest the best way to prevent red-light running is by installing cameras at intersections. Cameras have been credited with reducing red-light violations and accidents by as much as 40%.

Intersection cameras encourage drivers to slow down rather than speed up when they believe that a traffic signal is about to change. Since excessive speed is the most common cause of fatal car accidents in the United States, anything that reduced vehicle speeds at intersections should reduce the number of deadly crashes.

There are few things that make us madder than red-light runners.  Red means stop and yellow means slow down and prepare to stop, not “gun it and race through the intersection.” Verra Mobility is working to stop red light running through education and public awareness.

Liability for Red-light Running Accidents

Failure to obey traffic signals is against the law. Determining who had the right-of-way can be crucial in lawsuits that involve red-light running. Liability in most red-light running cases is clear. Occasionally, when the crash involves vehicles turning through the intersection, liability requires careful analysis.

To prove liability in a red-light running crash, our experienced personal injury attorneys will analyze:

• Police reports,
• Witnesses,
• Intersection cameras,
• Surveillance cameras from nearby buildings and security systems,
• Vehicle cameras, and
• Crash dynamics.

Drivers who run red lights expose themselves to civil liability for the injuries and damages they cause.

If you have been injured in a car accident caused by a driver who ran a red light, you are entitled to pursue compensation for all your harms and losses they caused. Call our experienced personal injury attorneys at (602) 258-0646 for a free consultation.

Our reputation for results resulted in our Phoenix car accident lawyers being awarded membership in the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.

A Red Light Runner Can Be Charged With Homicide

A driver who causes a fatal crash by running a red light could go to jail. Arizona law does not consider these just “car accidents.” These are homicides and the red light runner will likely be spending years in jail because they did not want to wait 2 minutes.

The data from ADOT shows Maricopa County drivers are the highest offenders—keeping in mind that the data only tracks crashes and not total red-light runners.  You can use this link for an interactive map: This interactive map gives a great visual of red-light runners in Arizona.

It is immediately apparent that downtown Phoenix and areas along the I-17 are common hot zones for red light accidents.

The scary part of these statistics is that as we came out of the Covid pandemic, the numbers of drivers were gradually increasing. The hope was that people would be more mindful of the other cars around them, but reckless driving seems to have increased well beyond pre-pandemic numbers.

Please be more mindful while driving.  Slow down when you see a yellow light.  And if you are about to go through an intersection where the light just turned green, take a moment to look both ways and make sure no one is running the light.

Across the Country, Red-light Running Deaths Have Been Increasing Since 2012

When researchers from the American Automobile Association studied 2017 traffic accident fatality figures, they discovered that 939 people died in crashes caused by motorists who ignored or failed to notice a red light. Two out of three of those killed in these accidents were either pedestrians or the occupants of vehicles struck by red-light runners.

About the Author

Joseph D'Aguanno

Guided by the belief that being a highly skilled specialist in a narrow field is better than being ordinary in everything, Joseph “JD” D’Aguanno leads Arizona’s best personal injury law firm in Phoenix, AZ. Having extensive cross-training in pre-litigation negotiations and trial lawyer skills, with decades of experience, JD strives to provide clients with the most valuable legal services a personal injury lawyer can provide. Under his direction, Gage Mathers Law Group is an award-winning personal injury law firm providing aggressive representation to victims of a car accident, medical malpractice, dog bite, motorcycle accident, and other injurious events. Gage Mathers is trusted by thousands of lawyers and clients throughout the country because of their reputation for getting clients the maximum compensation they deserve.

Years of experience: Over 23 years
Bar number: 020421
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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