President's Message Tony DeNovellis President and CEO Red Light, Green Light How many of you remember playing the childhood game of Red Light, Green Light? According to the rules, when the designated player announced "green light," all other players moved forward until the caller announced "red light." Anyone caught moving after "red light" was called had to start over. As children, we learned early on that a red light means stop. As adult drivers, not heeding a red light as "Stop" can cost lives. Recent statistics from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) illustrate the consequences of ignoring red lights. In 2001, red-light running caused 880 fatalities, and as many as 218,000 crashes and 181,000 injuries. The total financial cost to the public was estimated to exceed $14 billion. To raise awareness about the danger red-light running poses to motorists and pedestrians, FHWA, along with its partners, has designated Sept. 6-12 as National Stop on Red Week. This campaign provides guidance, support and assistance to local communities in all aspects of engineering, education, enforcement, and emergency response and care as part of the national program to reduce red-light running. While driver behavior is one factor contributing to the problem, the design of signalized intersections also can contribute to unintentional red-light running behavior. Certain designs may lead to slower reaction and stopping time, motorist confusion and limited views of traffic lights and signs. Vehicle characteristics and weather can also impede motorists' reaction time due to the weight of the vehicle and changes in road surfaces caused by inclement weather or road construction. Red-light runners do not conform to a set demographic—the dangerous practice reaches across drivers of all ages, economic groups, and genders—the perpetrators are everyday people. Many drivers are rushed and hurried. As motorists, we must remember our responsibility to drive safely. Red light, green light. Stop. Go. It's that simple. Tony DeNovellis  President and CEO Return to Table of Contents

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