Running Red Lights: Risks and Legal Consequences [Macomb County]

Running a red light is one of the most dangerous traffic violations a driver can commit. At busy intersections throughout Macomb County, a driver who enters an intersection after the signal changes can cause severe angle and left-turn collisions that result in serious injuries or fatalities. Understanding what Michigan law requires at traffic signals and how red-light violations may affect a crash claim is important for every driver.

What Michigan law requires.

Under MCL 257.612(1)(c)(i), vehicular traffic facing a steady red signal must stop before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection, or at a limit line when marked, or before entering the intersection if there is no crosswalk or limit line — and must remain stopped until a green indication is shown. Running a red light is a civil infraction under MCL 257.612(3). According to the Michigan Courts Traffic Benchbook, the standard civil fine for a red-light violation under MCL 257.907(2) is not more than $100, with an additional $25 added when the civil infraction was a moving violation that resulted in an at-fault collision.

Michigan’s driver point system also assigns two points to a driver’s record for running a red light, according to the Michigan Secretary of State’s driver point schedule under MCL 257.320a.

Where red-light crashes concentrate in Macomb County.

The intersections that appear on Macomb County’s most-crashed list — the 11 Mile Road and I-696/Van Dyke interchange in Warren, Hall Road and Hayes Road in Macomb Township, Hall Road and Schoenherr Road in Sterling Heights, and Gratiot Avenue and 11 Mile Road in Roseville — are all high-volume signalized intersections where the conditions for red-light running are present: heavy cross-traffic, time pressure during commute hours, and the kind of distracted driving that causes a driver to enter an intersection without registering that the signal has changed.

The Michigan Department of Transportation notes that approximately 30 percent of all Michigan crashes occur at intersections and that nearly 58 percent of those intersection crashes are head-on left-turn and angle crashes — the exact crash types that red-light violations produce when a driver enters an intersection against the signal and strikes cross-traffic that has the right of way.

Legal consequences when a red-light violation causes a crash.

When a driver runs a red light and causes a crash that injures another person, the civil infraction carries legal significance beyond the traffic fine. A finding that a driver violated MCL 257.612 may be relevant to a civil negligence claim by the injured party. Michigan courts have recognized that violation of a traffic statute may be considered evidence of negligence in a civil proceeding, depending on the facts of the case.

For injured drivers, passengers, and pedestrians, Michigan’s no-fault system covers medical expenses and wage loss regardless of fault. Whether additional claims against the at-fault driver may be available — for pain and suffering and other non-economic losses — depends on the nature of the injuries and the specific circumstances of the crash. An attorney can evaluate those questions based on the police report, witness accounts, and other available evidence.

If you were injured in a crash caused by a driver who ran a red light anywhere in Macomb, Wayne, or Oakland County, our team may be able to help. To speak with a Michigan personal injury attorney, contact us today.

Sources: Michigan Legislature – MCL 257.612
Michigan Courts Traffic Benchbook – Stop and Go Signs and Signals
Michigan Department of Transportation – Michigan Lefts