National Coalition for Safer Roads Launches Statewide Public Education Campaign to Promote the Benefits of Red Light Safety Cameras

WASHINGTON--March 14, 2011: The National Coalition for Safer Roads (NCSR) announced today the launch of a comprehensive educational campaign to highlight the dangers of red light running and the benefits of red light safety cameras. The ads will run on select stations throughout Missouri and provide a stark reminder of how tragic red light running crashes can be.

"National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics show that Missouri is the 11th-most deadly state in the nation for red light running-related fatalities," said David Kelly, President and Executive Director of NCSR. "It's important that Missouri's leaders recognize that red light safety cameras save lives and help protect communities by making drivers more aware of their behavior."

The ad, Portraits, shares stories of individuals who were injured or killed in red light running collisions. Each victim or family member tells how their lives were forever changed by a red light runner as they talk about their belief that red light safety cameras save lives.

A recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found that red light safety cameras helped save more than 150 lives in the 14 biggest U.S. cities from 2004 to 2008. Had the cameras been operating in all 99 U.S. cities with populations over 200,000, more than 800 lives could have been saved.

As IIHS President Adrian Lund said best, "Somehow, the people who get tickets because they have broken the law have been cast as the victims. We rarely hear about the real victims the people who are killed or injured by these lawbreakers."

To find more information about improving road safety in Missouri and learn more about the campaign, visit Red for Safety or Safe Roads Save Lives.

SOURCE National Coalition for Safer Roads