A Utica bicyclist was sent to the hospital in October after he was hit by a vehicle that ran a red light. According to police reports, the man was biking along Bleecker Street at approximately 11:30 a.m. when he was struck by a vehicle travelling southbound on Mohawk Street.
The driver was found to be at-fault for the accident, but he was not ticketed at the scene. The bicyclist is expected to recover from his injuries.
Red Light Accidents Are Far Too Common
In urban areas, the most common motor vehicle accidents are those caused by drivers who disregard red lights, stop signs and other types of traffic control devices. Data shows that at most busy intersections, drivers run a red light approximately three times an hour during peak traffic.
Although red light accidents are fairly common, they are certainly not without consequence. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, over 670 people were killed and another 130,000 were injured in accidents caused by drivers who ran red lights in 2009.
Drivers who run red lights tend to have a history of poor driving habits. As a group, they are more than three times as likely to have multiple speeding violations. They are also more likely to have been speeding or under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash.
Red Light Cameras Make Fault Easier to Prove
Unfortunately, it can sometimes be hard for New York car crash attorneys to prove liability in red light accidents. This is because the at-fault driver will often claim he or she had a green light, effectively blaming the accident on the victim. Unless witnesses were present or an accident reconstructionist can determine who was at fault, resolution of the claim can sometimes rest on which party is perceived to be the most trustworthy.
However, victims of red light accidents are increasingly able to take comfort in the prevalence of "red light cameras" at intersections throughout New York State. The cameras snap photos of vehicles that run red lights and send the pictures, accompanied by a ticket, to the vehicles owner. The photos provide valuable evidence of the at-fault driver's violation.
Data also shows that the cameras do more than provide evidence - according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the fear of getting a ticket may actually reduce the frequency of red light accidents. Their research shows that the cameras reduce red light violations by between 40 and 50 percent and reduce the rate of injury-causing collisions by between 25 and 30 percent.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a red light accident, you may have legal recourse to recover for your injuries. Contact an experienced New York personal injury lawyer who can review your options with you.
