Running a red light is a serious traffic violation that can have various consequences from the least serious ones like getting a raise in your insurance premiums to the most severe like spending years behind bars for causing a deadly crash. Here are five consequences of running a red light that will make you think twice if the extra 30 seconds you save are really worth it.

Consequence No. 1:

Injuring or Killing Someone

The most severe consequence of running a red light is having an accident. In a traffic collision, you may maim or kill a pedestrian or, in the best-case scenario, cause some serious property damage. The victims of drivers who ran a red light and injured them can sue the drivers for compensation or file an insurance claim against them.

Drivers who run a red light and caused an accident risk hefty fines and jail time, but they are allowed not to admit guilt and let an attorney do the talking for them at the police station too. A car accident lawyer can help victims receive fair compensation for their injuries and property loss, and drivers to get the most lenient sentence.

Consequence No. 2:

Getting a Camera Ticket

When running a red light with no officer around to pull you over, you might think that you’ve just got away with it. But if the crossing is equipped with red-light cameras, you’re in for a big surprise. You may receive a camera ticket by mail at your home address. 

Traffic cameras are becoming more sophisticated by the day. Some of them are powered by computer algorithms that can even tell if you were engaged in distracted driving and issue a ticket. A human reviewer, however, is supposed to confirm the cameras’ findings. Nevertheless, traffic cameras may be rigged against drivers if the operator has financial incentives to do so.

If you believe you received the ticket in error, you can contest it, but make sure you have all the evidence to back your case. You can fight the charge and win in some states if you can prove that the red lights were malfunctioning.

Consequence No. 3:

Getting Pulled Over

This one’s the most unpleasant consequence on our list (behind serving jail time, of course). After running a red light, a police officer might pull you over and have a chat with you. He may even ask you some uncomfortable questions like whether you have a criminal conviction or whether there is an active warrant against you and/or ask for liability insurance evidence.

If you got pulled over, you could get away with a warning if you tell the officer that you didn’t see the red light. If he or she insists on issuing a ticket, you can plead NOLO in some states, which means that you admit guilt and vow not to fight the legal consequences in court, but your admission of guilt won’t be used against you in a civil lawsuit in return.

You could also fight charges if you have a seasoned lawyer, or you could just keep your fingers crossed while hoping to get your case dismissed if the police officer fails to show up in court. However, if you are at fault, a judge may issue a bigger fine than the initial one for “wasting” the court’s time.

Consequence No. 4:

Facing Jail Time

Even if you didn’t harm or kill someone while running a red light, you could still go to jail in some states after paying a fine. Running a red light is considered a misdemeanor in many states, which means that the penalties may include up to $1,000 in fines and up to 6 months behind bars.

If you did kill someone while running a red light or cause significant property damage, you could be convicted for vehicular homicide or reckless driving and spend a much longer time in prison.

Consequence No. 5:

Raise in Insurance Premiums 

If you get a red-light ticket, your auto insurer will automatically raise your insurance premium as you are no longer considered a low-risk customer. An auto insurer will see you as somebody who is highly likely to get into a traffic accident and cost them big money.

Unlike a parking ticket, a red-light ticket is considered proof of a serious traffic violation and will leave an ugly stain on your driving record. As a risky driver, you’ll have a more challenging time shopping around for cheaper auto insurance. Your only way out would be if the traffic violation was your first offense.

Conclusion

The consequences of running a red light can be devastating for both you and the traffic participants affected by your decision. In the best-case scenario, you could get away with a red-light ticket, which you could get overturned if you play your cards right.

In the worst-case scenario, running a red light could leave you or a pedestrian maimed for life, which means that you could be forced to pay millions of dollars in compensation if a seasoned car accident lawyer has the victim’s back.

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