Toledo Red Light Car Accidents Lawyer

Drivers run red lights every day. Many of us know what it feels like to be running late and to notice a traffic light that has turned yellow. In these moments, we need to make a decision about whether to slow down and come to a safe stop, or to speed up in an attempt to “beat the light,” as the Toledo Police Department describes this practice. According to a fact sheet from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), running red lights regularly results in serious and fatal car accidents. Indeed, in 2015 alone, 771 people sustained fatal injuries in red light crashes and approximately 137,000 people suffered injuries. Most frequently, the injury victims in red light car accidents are not the drivers who made the decision to run the red light, but rather are drivers and passengers in other vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists.

Speeding up and running a red light is a form of aggressive driving, and it can result in a driver being held liable for any injuries or property damage that result. To learn more about filing a claim for financial compensation after a crash in Ohio, you should speak with a car accident attorney in Ohio.

WHAT IS A RED LIGHT CAR ACCIDENT IN TOLEDO?

What is a red light car accident in Toledo? The IIHS defines red-light running as a situation in which “a vehicle enters an intersection any time after the signal light has turned red.” In some situations, turning right on red is also a red-light violation that can result in a red light car accident. When motorists illegally turn right on red, crashes often involve pedestrians and bicyclists, and more than 90 percent of these collisions result in injury to the pedestrian or bicyclist struck by the motor vehicle.

Accidents caused by drivers running red lights and stop signs are the most common reason for crashes in Toledo and other urban areas, according to the IIHS. To be sure, these crashes account for more than 20 percent of all reported urban traffic collisions, and a large percentage of these crashes result in serious injuries. Of all red light car accidents, injuries occur in nearly 40 percent of them. A red light violation caught on one of these cameras can also result in the motorist being issued a citation, which can also be used as evidence in your Toledo red light car accident case.

For a free legal consultation with a red light accident lawyer serving Toledo, call (419) 930-3030

GETTING THE FACTS ABOUT TOLEDO RED LIGHT RUNNING CRASHES

How often do drivers in Toledo and throughout the country run red lights? We already noted that red light car accidents are the most common type of collision in urban areas. Through studies conducted by the IIHS and the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, we now have the following facts and figures concerning the frequency of red light accidents and other information about these types of crashes involving driver negligence:

• In urban areas, a motorist runs a red light, on average, every 20 minutes at every intersection;
• Red light running occurs more often at “peak travel times,” such as during the morning and evening commutes to and from work;
• Red light cameras record, on average, 3.2 violations per hour;
• 93 percent of motorists surveyed said it is unacceptable to run a red light if it is possible to come to a safe stop, yet 36 percent of those drivers admitted to running a red light at least once in the last month;
• Younger drivers are more likely to run red lights than older drivers;
• Motorists involved in red light car accidents are “3 times as likely to have multiple speeding convictions on their driver records”;
• There is a direct correlation between drivers who speed and drivers who run red lights;
• Drivers who caused fatal red light accidents in 2015 were more likely to be male and more likely to have alcohol-related driving convictions on their records; and
• Fatal red light accidents are likely to have a driver who is speeding and/or alcohol impaired at the time of the crash.

Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me (419) 930-3030

PROVING LIABILITY IN A TOLEDO RED LIGHT CAR ACCIDENT CASE

WHILE PERSONAL INJURIES ARE OFTEN REFERRED TO AS ACCIDENTS, THEY ARE OFTEN THE RESULT OF ANOTHER PERSON’S RECKLESS OR NEGLIGENT CONDUCT.

How do you prove liability in a red light car accident case in Toledo? Your Toledo car accident lawyer can work with an experienced accident reconstruction expert who can gather evidence from the scene of the crash, including photographs and witness statements, to put together an accurate representation of the timeline of the collision. Based on the type of injuries and vehicle damage, an accident reconstruction expert can also show how the other driver—who ran the red light—caused the crash and the resulting damages. Police reports can also help to prove liability for a red light crash, especially when the other driver was cited for a traffic signal violation.

In addition to photographs, witness statements, police reports, and other related information from the scene of the crash, red light cameras can also provide essential evidence in a red light collision case. The Toledo Police Department has both red light and speed cameras across the city. These red light and speed cameras exist at numerous busy intersections where accidents can happen, such as the area around the University of Toledo as well as near highway entrances to I-75 and I-475. Indeed, there are dozens of these cameras throughout the city.

When drivers run red lights and speed through intersections at any of the areas with red light or speed cameras, photographic evidence of a driver’s negligence can prove that the driver’s decision to “beat the light” caused the crash in which your injuries occurred.

COMMON INJURIES IN TOLEDO RED LIGHT CRASHES

Red light car accidents can cause serious and even fatal injuries. Our Toledo auto accident lawyers regularly help clients seek compensation for a wide variety of injuries, including but not limited to:

• Head and brain injuries;
• Neck injuries;
• Back injuries;
• Broken bones;
• Disfigurement and scarring;
• External and internal bruising;
• Internal bleeding and organ damage;
• Amputations; and
• Other severe and debilitating injuries.

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SEEK ADVICE FROM A RED LIGHT CAR ACCIDENT ATTORNEY IN TOLEDO

If you or someone you love suffered injuries in a red light car accident,

a Toledo auto accident lawyer can help. Contact Groth & Associates today.

Call or text (419) 930-3030 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form