The main argument for many municipalities across the country for installing cameras at major intersections is to discourage drivers from running red lights. On average across the nation red light running kills more than 800 people and injures up to 200,00 per year. Public knowledge that they will be ticketed for running the red light regardless of the presence of law enforcement officers, in turn, causes accidents from running red lights to lower. Since incidents of running red lights also have a very high injury rate as people who run red lights are usually speeding up to do so, it just seems like common sense right?

The Thin Line Between Common Sense and Reality

As in life, sometimes what seems to make sense on the surface doesn’t always reflect statistical reality, and for Spokane, the research isn’t panning out. They had an annual average of crashes caused by running red lights at 11 leading up to the implementation of the program. This number held steady for the first year of the program, but in 2009 it went up to 14. That’s a 22% increase! How could this happen?

According to the Seattle Times today, traffic safety experts caution that crash statistics fluctuate every year and that it’s difficult to prove cause and effect with only a year’s worth of data. Police say they’re confident that crash numbers will fall as the public becomes more aware of the cameras.

The Hard Numbers

According to the Virginia Transportation Research Council 2007 report, it may not be the fact that there is a camera at the intersection, but the intersection itself.

They conducted a 7 year study between 1998 and 2004 on intersections in six jurisdictions. Over the 7 year study they found that red light running crashes decreased by 8%, but rear-end crashes increased by 27%. That is a demonstrative increase. Rear-end crashes are far less likely to be fatal they could lead to long term spinal injuries and other health concerns.

Speaking to the Spokesman Review, John Miller, associate principal research scientist at the Virginia research council said, “You have to work very hard to decide the right locations where they should be used.” He went on to say, “Factors for choosing locations include ensuring that the intersection doesn’t already have a significant problem with rear-end crashes since they might get worse after installing cameras.”

This means that just because the intersection has a large volume doesn’t exactly mean that it is at risk for more red light running accidents and may in fact be more prone to rear-end collisions even prior to the installation of the cameras. This requires more research, which takes time and money. Time and money the cities need once they see the revenue the cameras yield.

Municipal Cash Machine

According to public records submitted to the Spokesman Review, Spokane issued 5690 tickets over the 13 month time period in three main intersections resulting in $419,000 in revenue for the city. The good intentions of the program has not yielded results. Even in light of the numbers, the city council chooses the numbers that suit them.

If we’ve got 6,000 people running red lights in this city, it’s a concern,” City Council President Joe Shogan told the Spokesman Review. “You never know if we would have had more accidents without the red light (cameras).”

As the council inflates the number and doesn’t address the real issues of whether the cameras actually aid the citizens, the Seattle city council also has some issues to address. Hopefully they don’t gloss over the research in the blindness caused by the revue. The city attorney’s office has already stated, they choose revenue over the citizens.

Medics responded immediately to the scene and had to access the car through a house property on 114^th place NW. Police have not released the details of the accident or the age of the woman. Fire crews told a dispatcher that she was able to walk away from the wreck.

Traffic was backed up all the way down 3^rd Avenue NW to Carkeek Park, but resumed by 6:40.

However, the downside of motor scooters is that they can be dangerous, as they leave the driver completely exposed to danger, especially when they’re involved in collisions with larger vehicles. Tragically, this reality was reinforced with a hit-and-run accident last week that killed a man in Puyallup. According to the Seattle Times:

“Lt. Scott Engle of the Puyallup Police Department said the driver of the car was traveling north in the 2800 block of Ninth Street Southwest when the vehicle crossed the center line and rammed the Vespa scooter just after 7 p.m. The man, an unincorporated Pierce County resident, was pronounced dead at the scene. His name was not released.

Engle said the driver of the car fled from the scene. Witnesses followed him and called police. The driver, whose identity was not disclosed, was caught about five miles away from the scene of the crash, Puyallup police said.”

Fortunately, the driver was apprehended. If you or someone you love has been harmed in any sort of hit-and-run accident, you need to contact the auto accident lawyers at Phillips & Webster as soon as possible to schedule a free initial consultation.

According to the Bellingham Herald:

“Ferndale resident Alyssa V. Fell, and 15-year-old Patrick D. Gregory of Bellingham were passengers in a 2004 Volvo V70 station wagon driven by Bellingham resident Donovan M. Brogan, 18.

The Volvo was headed eastbound on Josh Wilson Road, approaching Farm to Market Road, when it failed to stop at a stop sign. A 2003 Ford F-150 that was traveling northbound on Farm to Market Road struck the Volvo.

Everyone involved in the collision was wearing seat belts, said Washington State Patrol Communications Officer Jennifer Holmes. An investigation by state troopers determined that no drugs or alcohol were involved, she said.”

The other driver suffered a head injury and fractures to both arms, but the rest of those involved in this accident are expected to recover. As can be seen by this incident, even those who otherwise act responsibly by not drinking and wearing seat belts can still pay the ultimate price for a one-second lapse in judgment or vision.

If you or someone you love has been injured or worse in an auto accident, you need to contact the personal injury attorneys at Phillips & Webster today to schedule a free initial consultation.

When this occurs, it immediately creates a dangerous situation, particularly when it occurs on two-lane roads with traffic moving in both directions. Some who are being passed simply realize that they are moving at a slower pace than they desire, and accelerate in an attempt to get to their preferred speed. Others, however, seem to view being passed as some sort of challenge and accelerate in an attempt to prompt the passer to slow down and move back into the right lane behind them.

When this occurs, it not only creates a situation of risk for the person who’s attempting to pass, but also for the person being passed and any vehicles that could be coming in the opposite direction. It takes mere seconds for a disaster to unfold on the roads, and collisions at high rates of speed often leave devastating results behind. If you are being passed, simply maintain your rate of speed until the other driver completes his or her maneuver, as it’s the safest course of action to take.

If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident like this, you need to contact the auto accident attorneys at Phillips & Webster immediately to schedule a free initial consultation.

When drivers are presented with this situation, they must make a difficult choice – either pass that person on the right, which is generally illegal, or sit and wait and hope that the person clogging the passing lane decides to get out of the way so that faster-moving vehicles can pass. Some will pass on the right and others will sit and wait, but regardless of the choice that’s made, almost everyone becomes agitated in this situation.

Countless studies have shown that drivers who are angry, frustrated or reach the point of what’s commonly known as ‘road rage’ become more dangerous drivers to themselves and those around them. When people are not acting rationally, bad decisions are made and accidents often ensue. While it’s technically illegal to drive in the passing lane without the intent to pass, the law has rarely been enforced.

However, Washington’s State Police have announced that they are beginning to crack down on this problem. While most troopers are merely giving verbal warnings to those they pull over, others are issuing tickets for this violation, which cost these drivers $124.

While this is a good start, it won’t prevent accidents that result from careless driving and the emotional reactions that ensue. If you have been injured in an auto accident because of this sort of mistake or any other, contact the auto accident attorneys at Phillips & Webster immediately to schedule a free initial consultation.

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer published the findings of the study, and they include:

“The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute used cameras to continuously observe light vehicle drivers and truckers for more than 6 million miles. It found that when drivers of heavy trucks texted, their collision risk was 23 times greater than when not texting.

Dialing a cell phone and using or reaching for an electronic device increased risk of collision about 6 times in cars and trucks.

Recent research using driving simulators suggested that talking and listening were as dangerous as texting, but the “naturalistic driving studies clearly indicate that this is not the case,” a news release from the institute said. The risks of texting generally applied to all drivers, not just truckers, the researchers said. Complete results were expected to be released Tuesday.

Right before a crash or near collision, drivers spent nearly five seconds looking at their devices, which was enough time at 55 mph to cover more than the length of a football field.”

The clear conclusion as to why texting is more dangerous than speaking on the phone is because the driver’s eyes are drawn away from the road while punching text keys. Regardless, texting while driving is illegal in Washington, and if you or someone you love has been injured as a result of this sort of negligence, you need to contact the auto accident lawyers at Phillips & Webster today to schedule a free initial consultation.

According to an article published by the Seattle Times:

“A 15-year-old boy was driving a souped-up car too fast on a Lopez Island road Sunday afternoon when he plowed into a group of bicyclists and a jogger, killing the runner and seriously hurting a young Seattle girl on a bike, San Juan County sheriff’s officials said.

The 7-year-old girl was flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with “very severe injuries” to her hands, said San Juan County Sheriff Bill Cumming.

The incident occurred about 2:40 p.m. on Lopez Sound Road, a popular biking and running route on the east side of the island.

The girl was biking with her mom and dad and a sibling, while nearby Paul John Jaholkowsky, 26, of Abbottsford, B.C., was jogging and walking up the two-lane rural road.”

Obviously, the driver is too young to have a license, but did have a learner’s permit. No charges have yet been filed, but the investigation is only beginning. If you or someone you love has been injured or worse in an auto-pedestrian accident, you need to contact the auto accidents lawyers at Phillips & Webster today to schedule a free initial consultation.

According to an update entry provided by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer:

“The vehicle that hit and killed a man early Friday on a downtown Seattle street was a bus, possibly a tour bus, according to police.

Police traffic investigators, who blocked off the area around the accident for several hours, said the bus was light colored with a dark stripe or dark tinted windows.

About 12:20 a.m., it was traveling south on Sixth Avenue, then turned east onto Cherry Street. Police believe the bus hit the victim, a man, as he was crossing the street on the northeast corner of Sixth Avenue and Cherry Street.

It appears the man in his 50s was crossing with the light, and the bus didn’t stop, police said.”

The man’s body was discovered later in the street, and police are asking anyone with information to contact them as soon as possible. If you or someone you love has been injured or worse by a hit-and-run, you may need the help of auto accident lawyers as well as the police. Contact the attorneys at the Phillips & Webster as soon as possible to schedule a free initial consultation to get the process of holding those responsible accountable.

According to the Daily News Online:

“State Patrol troopers said Christopher B. Patterson, 30, was returning to Oroville after dropping off a prisoner at the Okanogan County jail in Okanogan when he struck the cow. The accident happened about 12:20 p.m. on Highway 97, about nine miles south of Oroville. Patterson was airlifted to Deaconess Medical Center in Spokane.

In that accident, and one near Ephrata, the cows were killed on impact, troopers said. Both accident locations were closed rangeland, meaning it was the responsibility of the livestock owners to keep the cows off the roadway. Troopers said they are attempting to locate the owners of the cows. It would be up to the prosecutor in each county to file charges of allowing animals to roam at large.”

Aside from the potential problems the cow owners could face from prosecutors, they could also face civil liability for the injuries suffered by the police officers. This should also serve as a warning to be prepared for anything when driving, even in rural areas. If you or someone you love has been harmed in an accident, contact the auto accident lawyers at Phillips & Webster today to schedule a free initial consultation.