Data Collected by:

The Social Science Research Center
Jeff Harlow, Ph.D., Director
Tancy Vandecar-Burdin, Associate Director
Old Dominion University

Research Funded by:

Daimler Chrysler Corporation

Porter, B. E., & Berry, T. D. (1999). A nationwide survey of red light running: Measuring driver behaviors for the "Stop Red Light Running Program". Norfolk, VA: Old Dominion University, Behavioral Community Psychology for the DaimlerChrysler Corporation, the American Trauma Society, and the Federal Highway Administration. (No project number; one figure; 11 tables; 57 pages; 11 references.)

Permission to Use:

The summary is for public use, but should be cited appropriately when presented to other non-media sources. However, if the reader wishes to share this summary with any media source, the Project Director respectfully requests that permission be obtained from him prior to doing so. In this way, the research team can ensure proper interpretation of the data.

Description of Summary

"Stop Red Light Running" Program

The data were collected for the "Stop Red Light Running" program. This program is a nationwide effort to increase driver awareness of the dangers and consequences of running red lights. Sponsored by DaimlerChrysler Corporation, the American Trauma Society, and the Federal Highway Administration, the program was developed in 1995.

Demographics for Red-Light Running Occurrence

OVERALL: 55.8% of the drivers reported running red lights; 19.4% had run at least one red light in the past 10 intersections with traffic lights (recency).

Gender: 65.1% of men admitted to running red lights; 50.1% of women admitted doing so; these                            differences were statistically different (i.e., can be considered a real difference).

Parental Status: 52.8% of parents admitted to running red; 65.0% of non-parents admitted doing so.                            These differences were statistically different.

Age Groups: 74.7% of the 18-25 age group, 72.7% of the 26-35 group, 62.9% of the 36-45 group,                            55.9% of the 46-55 group, and 35.3% of the over 55 group admitted running red lights. These                            differences were statistically different.

Education: In general, drivers with more education were more likely to admit running red lights. The                            highest frequencies were reported for drivers with Associates’ Degrees (65.0%), drivers with only some                          College experience (58.7%), and drivers with Bachelor’s Degrees (58.4%). Overall, educational                            differences were NOT statistically different (i.e., education alone was not a strong enough predictor of                            red-light running).

Occupation: Occupational differences in red-light running were statistically significant. The occupations                            with the most reported red-light running likelihoods were the Unemployed (68.8%), Lower                            Technology/Managerial positions (68.3%), and Blue Collar positions (61.2%).

Urban Size: Drivers from cities with populations over 100,000 were equally likely(55.2%) as drivers                           from smaller cities (56.0%) to run red lights. Specifically, these numbers were NOT significantly different.

Role of Passengers

• 25.6% of the drivers reported to be likely to run red lights when driving alone

• 15.8% reported to be likely to run red lights when there is one adult passenger

•  4.8% reported to be likely to run red lights when there are child passengers

Role of Feeling Rushed and Frustrated

• For 28.6% of the respondents who reported being likely to speed up to beat a red light (particularly if running late and approaching an intersection that is about to have a red light):

• 34.9% reported being in a rush as their primary reason for beating the light

• 11.8% reported being frustrated

• For the 80.5% of the respondents who reported being frustrated on urban roads:

• 43.5% reported discourtesy of other drivers as their primary frustration

• 20.8% reported congestion as their primary frustration

• 12.7% reported other drivers not following the law as their primary frustration

Where and When Traveling when Running Red Lights

• 74.4% reported being more than 2 miles from home

• 40.8% reported driving to work or school in the morning

• 24.4% reported driving to shops or running errands in the middle of the day the majority of red-light running occurred between 12:01 and 6:00 p.m. (46.9% of  drivers); the 6:01 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. time interval was the second most likely period for running red (34.3% of drivers)

• most red-light running occurred on weekdays (83.8% of drivers)

Perceptions of Red-Light Running as a Problem or Danger

•  79.8% believed red-light running is a problem

• 98.8% believed red-light running is dangerous

• 10.9% have been involved in a red-light running crash

• 5.8% have received a red-light running ticket

Ideas for Changing Red-Light Running Behavior

• 23.1% had no ideas to offer for reducing red-light running behavior

• 38.8% mentioned increased police enforcement as their first idea

• 16.7% mentioned education as their first idea

• 2.8% mentioned changing signal timings as their first idea