National Coalition for Safer Roads Confirms Red-Light Violations Increase During Summer Driving Season

Urges Drivers to be Cautious During Dangerous Summer Driving Period

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May 20, 2015, 10:00 ET

WASHINGTON, May 20, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Coalition for Safer Roads released new data today on red-light running, which revealed an increase in the number of violations that occurred during peak periods of summer travel in 2014.

According to the statistics, more than 3.7 million drivers in the United States ran a red light in 2014. A large percentage of these violations occurred during the peak summer travel weekends of Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day.

Red-light running incidents during each of these major summer travel periods in 2014, included:

Memorial Day: 37,800 violations
Independence Day: 34,522 violations
Labor Day: 35,118 violated

According to the data, Friday afternoons, between 1:00 – 5:00 PM, were the most dangerous times on the road – with the highest number of red-light violations recorded.

The millions of additional drivers on the roads during summer holiday periods also increases the risk of traffic collisions resulting from red-light running, distracted driving, and speeding. In order to prevent injuries and fatalities resulting from traffic collisions during the summer travel season, NCSR is sharing these statistics with the public and encouraging all drivers to practice safe driving.

"This data proves that driving over the summer holidays, when millions of people are on the road, can be very dangerous," says Melissa Wandall, President of NCSR. "By sharing these numbers with the public, we aim to influence safe driving and reduce the number of traffic collisions that occur during peak periods of travel."

NCSR encourages all drivers during these times to practice caution, stay focused, limit distractions (i.e. cell phones and loud music), ensure that all passengers are properly buckled up, give yourself plenty of time and distance to react to traffic around you, drive the speed limit and stop at all red lights.

For more information on NCSR, visit NCSRSafety.org.

The National Coalition for Safer Roads helps save lives and protect communities by demonstrating how red-light safety cameras can improve driver behavior. NCSR brings together policymakers, community leaders and concerned citizens in support of red-light safety cameras, advocating for their use in cities and communities across the country. The National Coalition for Safer Roads is a 501 (c)(6) industry trade association. To learn more, please visit www.NCSRsafety.org, follow @SaferRoadsUSA on Twitter and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/SaferRoadsUSA

SOURCE National Coalition for Safer Roads