This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Lee Davidson's article, "Utah's drivers the worst in the U.S.," didn't surprise me. But what was left out did. Most accidents involving vehicles and/or pedestrians happen in intersections, which is no secret. But I don't see preventive measures taken to reduce this obvious problem: running red lights.
I live downtown, own a vehicle, yet take advantage of my neighborhood by walking to many places and exercising my dog three times a day, which means crossing many intersections each and every day for five years.
I've been paying much more attention and getting more upset with how many vehicles ruthlessly run red lights. I don't mean the casual driver who sees the light turn yellow and continues because it's safer than stopping abruptly. I'm pointing out all the other vehicles that know it's yellow and know the light is turning red but still continue to go through the intersection.
So, why then is it so pervasive? I've sat with this question for quite a while now and one answer is obvious, the police don't monitor or care about running red lights. I've seen them pull over vehicles with their radar guns all day long, but they are oblivious to what's happening at the intersection. Why? Well, to my observation, they too run red lights whether in police vehicles or while driving their own. So, what has to change is the context in which we see "the red light." It's not about beating the light but about possibly killing or injuring someone in that intersection every time you do that.
Mark Shanbrun
Salt Lake City