Now that my kids are both licensed drivers, road safety is even more in the forefront of my mind than ever before. My kids have been taught to be cautious, defensive drivers but that doesn’t mean all the other drivers they encounter will be as careful. So when I was asked by Global Influence to share this message with you about the National Coalition for Safer Roads and the Red Light Safety Camera Campaign, I gladly said yes!
Here is some important information for you and your family about the campaign and how you can help spread the word:
Keeping our families safe on the road is a very important task that we undertake as parents. We drive carefully, keep our cars in tip-top shape, and make sure everyone is buckled in safely on each and every trip. Unfortunately, we can’t control what other drivers on the road are doing. We must rely on the police and essential safety equipment, such as red light safety cameras, to help keep us safe.
A recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found that 113,000 people were injured and 676 were killed in crashes that involved red-light running in 2009 – two-thirds of the victims were pedestrians, bicyclists and occupants of vehicles hit by the red-light runners.
The study also showed that red-light safety cameras helped save more than 150 lives in 14 of the biggest U.S. cities from 2004 to 2008. Had the cameras been operating in all 99 U.S. cities with populations more than 200,000, more than 800 lives could have been saved.
Each time we enter an intersection, our families are at risk of becoming the victim of an accident – whether on foot or in a vehicle. Red light safety cameras help to change driver behavior and reduce the risk to our loved ones, however many people are unaware just how valuable these cameras are to those on the road.
You can find the National Coalition for Safer Roads on their website, Twitter and Facebook pages, for more information about this important initiative. You can also text SAFE to 723389 (SAFETY) and NCSR will let you know how you can help build support for safer roads.
Join the Coalition in spreading this important message. You may save the life of a loved one or spare a family the heartbreak of losing a life to a tragic intersection accident.
