The Hidden Cost of Red Light Running in California — Summary & How to Help
This article summarizes our 25-page Full Report—read the full report here.
Every day, Californians approach intersections trusting that a red light means safety. Yet, for far too many, that trust is shattered in an instant. Red light running has become a silent epidemic across our state—claiming lives, shattering families, and leaving behind an enormous financial burden that few ever stop to consider.
Preventable Tragedies, Irreversible Loss
Traffic collisions are, by and large, preventable. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has long recognized that we know where and why crashes happen—and that proven strategies exist to prevent them. Still, California continues to lose hundreds of lives each year to reckless drivers who ignore red lights.
The stories are heartbreaking.
Ty Wells, a professional dancer who shared the stage with artists like Katy Perry and P!NK, lost his leg after being struck by a red-light runner in Los Angeles. In the same year, 69 people died, and nearly 400 others were severely injured at LA County intersections because someone decided not to stop.
Neveah and Alinah Flores, just three and four years old, were killed days before Thanksgiving in Rialto when a pickup plowed through a red light and obliterated their family’s car.
Maddux Greene and Jordan Galvez, had just graduated from Clovis East High School, but would never go to college because they were killed by a driver who ran a red-light in Kern County.
These lives were not lost to chance. Preventable decisions took them—and each story is a devastating reminder of the stakes.
A Crisis Growing Worse
California’s roads tell a grim story. SAFE reviewed the data. Since 2013, severe injuries and fatalities tied to intersection violations have surged 96.1%. In 2023 alone, red-light violations were linked to 195 deaths and more than 1,200 severe injuries. And these aren’t just drivers—the victims include cyclists and pedestrians, who made up nearly one in five of those killed or seriously injured.
Even seasoned drivers admit they hesitate after a light turns green, waiting to see if someone will barrel through the intersection. That hesitation isn’t paranoia—it’s survival.
The Most Dangerous Counties
SAFE then examined intersection violations for each county between 2021 and 2023 per capita (per 100,000 people) and found the following:
The average number of severe injuries and fatalities for the state of California is 1,396 or 3.56 per 100,000 people.
Los Angeles County, representing 25.1% of California’s population, has 31.1% (an average of 420 per year) of the severe injuries and fatalities due to intersection violations. This is the largest number compared to other counties, but not the largest per capita.
Inyo County, with a population of less than 19,000, averages only two people severely injured or killed per year due to intersection violations, but is ranked as the most dangerous per capita, with 10.78 per 100,000.
When looking at only the largest counties in California by population (those with populations larger than 750,000), the five most dangerous counties per capita are (in this order):
Fresno County (6.86)
San Francisco County (5.09)
Kern County (4.94)
Sacramento County (4.66)
San Bernardino County (4.57)
Los Angeles County (4.26)
SAFE also found that, in more rural counties, a higher proportion (sometimes all) of severe injuries and fatalities happened at four-way stop intersections, often on a stretch of rural road with little to no improvement made to slow down speeding cars. In contrast, in counties with larger populations, a majority of the incidents occurred at signaled intersections where drivers run red lights.
The Price Tag of Neglect
The human toll is incalculable, but the economic cost is staggering. Using the CDC’s WISQARS Cost of Injury calculator, SAFE estimated the financial burden of intersection crashes between 2021 and 2023:
$985 million in costs from severe injuries, nearly a third of it from medical expenses.
$6.96 billion in costs from fatalities.
Altogether, more than $7.9 billion was drained from California in just three years. That’s money that could have gone into schools, hospitals, infrastructure, and community programs—but instead was lost to preventable crashes.
Why Enforcement and Engineering Both Matter
Engineering solutions—like improved signal timing, roundabouts, and protected turn lanes—can reduce risk. But no design can stop a driver determined to run a red-light. Enforcement is essential.
Unfortunately, California’s red light camera law is outdated and inefficient. Passed in 1995, it requires a clear photo of the driver’s face to issue a citation and results in fines that often surpass $400. California is the only state in the US that still requires a photo of the driver. This standard is technologically cumbersome, privacy-invasive, and legally challenging, with many citations thrown out due to a lack of clear legal evidence. This has led many cities to abandon their programs. The result? A law that fails to deter violators, while leaving communities vulnerable.
A Smarter Path Forward: SB 720
There is a better way. Senate Bill 720—the Safer Streets Program—offers a critical chance to modernize California’s red-light enforcement. Modeled after the state’s successful speed safety camera bill (AB 645), SB 720 would:
Eliminate facial photography, capturing only license plates.
Treat violations like parking tickets, keeping enforcement simple and privacy intact.
Require revenue from citations to be reinvested into safety improvements—not city general funds.
Reduce the cost of citations to a flat $100 for the first citation and increase fines for those who repeatedly run red lights in proportion to the number of violations.
This approach has already proven effective in other states. Red light camera programs across major U.S. cities have reduced fatal crashes by 21% and saved an estimated 1,300 lives in a single year. When programs are dismantled, crashes and fatalities climb again.
The Urgency of Now
The data is clear. The solutions exist. And yet, lives continue to be lost every day California delays reform. SB 720 is now in the Governor’s hands, representing a chance to save lives and reclaim billions of dollars for our communities.
The question is not whether red-light running is preventable—it is. The question is whether California will finally choose to act.
Because every number in these statistics is more than a data point, it’s a life, a family, and a future stolen. And the cost of inaction is simply too high.
Urge the Governor to Sign SB 720
Take this simple action to call, email, and/or tweet the Governor to sign this life-saving bill now.