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One in Two Illinois Drivers See Others Run Red Lights

8 September 1998

One in Two Illinois Drivers See Others Run Red Lights Almost Every Day

    CHICAGO, Sept. 4 -_ One in two Illinois drivers see others
run red lights almost every day, according to a survey released today to kick
off National Stop on Red Week.  This nationwide week of awareness is a result
of the partnership between the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal
Highway Administration (FHWA), American Trauma Society (ATS) and Chrysler
Corporation, and runs from September 4_11.
    Released just before the Labor Day holiday and back to school time, the
survey coincides with the City Council's latest announcement to raise fines
for drivers who run red lights or stop signs.  The survey polled licensed
drivers in Illinois between the ages of 18 and 65, and found that:

    -- 94 percent of Illinois drivers fear a red light runner will hit them
       when they enter an intersection.
    -- One in four claim they personally know someone who has been injured or
       killed in a red light running crash _- similar to the percentage of
       people who know someone killed or injured by a drunk driver.
    -- About 60 percent said they feel that the problem of drunk driving has
       gotten worse or stayed the same in Illinois, but a whopping 86 percent
       felt that the problem of red light running has gotten worse or stayed
       the same over the past few years.

    "Children are our most precious possession, and their safety must be
foremost on our minds as we end the summer season with Labor Day outings,"
U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater said.  "Safety is President
Clinton's highest transportation priority, and observing red light signals --
always -- can prevent tragic injuries and deaths of pedestrians and motorists
alike."
    "The numbers suggest that, although people feel it's wrong to run red
lights, they're still doing it," says Harry Teter, executive director of the
ATS.  "Along with Chrysler and DOT, we're trying to educate motorists that
running red lights can have the same outcome as driving under the influence of
alcohol -- injuries and deaths."
    The survey also asked Illinois drivers to speculate as to why other
motorists run red lights.  The overwhelming response -- 62 percent -- was that
they were in a hurry.
    "Apparently these offenders don't consider that the snap decision they
make to run the red light has the potential to change -- or end -- a life
forever," said Teter.
    The program partners developed National Stop on Red Week as a response to
the results of this survey and to the fact that there are more than one
million intersection crashes per year, resulting in more than 300,000 injuries
and 2,000 deaths.  Often, red light running is a related factor in
intersection crashes.
    "Just as the Department of Transportation is dedicated to making the
safest roadway network in the world and ATS is committed to reducing the
number of vehicle collision injuries, Chrysler is committed to manufacturing
and marketing safe vehicles," says Robert Eaton, chairman of the board and CEO

of Chrysler Corporation.  "National Stop on Red Week address an important
component of traffic safety, the driver.  Together, we can make a difference."
    The Stop Red Light Running campaign originated with the FHWA's 1995 local
community efforts.  Early results of the campaign showed that it has raised
awareness of the dangers of red light running by 60 percent and reduced
crashes at some intersections in some communities by 43 percent.  Chrysler
Corporation and the American Trauma Society joined the campaign this year.
    The American Trauma Society, based in Washington, D.C., has 180 hospital
members and 26 state division chapters across the country that are
implementing the red light running campaign.  Each participating trauma
hospital has a dedicated campaign coordinator to work with local law
enforcement, engineering and safety professionals to promote red light running
campaign safety messages.
    Chrysler has committed tens of millions of dollars to safety education
programs in addition to Stop Red Light Running, and has initiated a number of
national safety education campaigns including:

    -- Neon Drunk Driving Simulator, an interactive program which allows
       participants to experience firsthand the dangers of drunken driving
       without endangering lives;
    -- The Back Is Where Its At, which emphasizes that the back seat is the
       safest place for children to ride in a motor vehicle; and
    -- Do the Buckle, a nationwide consumer initiative designed to communicate
       the importance of wearing safety belts.