Factors influencing red-light violations at signalized intersections

Abstract EN

Red-light violations are one of the most dangerous violations of traffic laws.

It leads to so many fatalities and serious injuries.

It is vitai to comprehend and study the influential factors leading to the violation of red-light in order to suggest remedies.

In this study an experiment was designed to test the suspected variables.

Observations were conducted at several signalized intersections to study the effect of traffic volume, the position of violating vehicle regarding the lane, time of the day, and monitoring conditions (presence of red-light camera) at the intersection.

The results showed that red-light violation rates were reduced as the traffic volume increased.

Vehicles in the third lane were most probable to violate red-light than those in second lane than those in the first lane.

Vehicles in the left turning lanes violated more than vehicles at other lanes of the road.

Red-light camera proved to reduce red-light violation rates significantly.

The presence of the red-light camera at the intersection even not at the investigated approach reduced red-lights violations but not significantly.

Morning peaks were the safest periods of the day in terms of red-light violations.

Afternoon peaks, morning off-peaks, and night times had insignificant positive relation with red-light violations.

It seems that it could be concluded from the results that excessive speed of vehicles approaching red-light phase in a signalized intersection affect the required stopping distance to stop at the white line.

Some Measures were proposed to reduce red-light violations.