Nevada has large increase in red light accident fatalities

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The number of fatal auto accidents in Nevada caused by drivers running red lights increased by 60% between 2008 and 2017, a report said.

Research by the American Automobile Association found nine people were killed in 2008 compared to 23 in 2017 in accidents involving red traffic lights, The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported Sunday.

The association said 147 people died in Nevada red-light crashes during that time. Among Nevada's crashes involving red lights in 2017, 57% of those who died were not in the vehicle responsible for the collision, the association said.

There were 939 deaths nationwide in 2017 after drivers ran red lights, a 28% increase since 2012 and a 10-year high, the association said.

"The Nevada statistics highlight how critical it is for everyone to be extra cautious around signaled intersections," association spokesman Sergio Avila said in a statement. "Armed with this knowledge, drivers should be able to make safer decisions while on the roads to avoid needless tragedies."

The Nevada Department of Public Safety reported 2,212 people were seriously injured in intersection-related crashes between 2012 and 2016.

"Most of the intersection-related fatalities and serious injuries occurred during daylight hours, 61 percent, and 32 percent occurred in dark but lighted conditions," said public safety spokesman Andrew Bennett.

"As human behavior is directly related to 94 percent of crashes, the majority of these crashes are 100 percent preventable," Bennett said.

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Information from: Las Vegas Review-Journal, https://www.lvrj.com