Indeed, Chatham County Police Chief Tom Sprague should consider doing the same thing at some of the busier intersections in the county, too. The habit of running red lights in the community has reached the point where it has become a serious health and safety concern, particularly at heavily traveled intersections. Last year, for example, police investigated about 90 accidents at the intersection of Abercorn Extension and White Bluff Road, one of the city's busiest. That's about one wreck every four days. If near-accidents were reported, the numbers would look far worse.
Motorists run red lights for a variety of reasons.
Some are in a hurry. Others aren't paying attention or believe they can squeeze through on the final split second before the signal goes from yellow to red. Some are simply frustrated with the slow or uneven pace of traffic and don't want to sit at yet another red light. While some of these excuses may be understandable, they are unacceptable. Unfortunately, the public's driving habits seem to be getting worse.