We tend to think of traffic control as a modern-day problem, but it's actually quite ancient. According to the book Ancient Transportation by Michael and Mary Woods, traffic was such a major problem in the city of Imperial Rome that complete gridlock was a fairly common occurrence. Imagine a modern-day traffic jam, only instead of cars, picture chariots, ox-drawn carts, men on horseback...you get the idea. To make matters worse, the Romans did not have traffic signals. They invented stop signs and one way streets, but of course they did not have the technology to set up traffic lights.

Fortunately, we do have them. Traffic lights are set up in busy intersections to tell drivers when it is their turn to go. As most Americans learn at a very early age, traffic lights are color-coded: red means stop, green means go, and yellow means that drivers should prepare to stop or clear the intersection before the light turns red. Since everyone knows when to stop and when to go, red lights help prevent accidents and improve the flow of traffic. The ancient Romans would have cheered!

Dangers of Running Red Lights 

Illinois red lights only work if everyone obeys them. Unfortunately, however, Illinois drivers have a problem with red light running. Do you remember playing the game "Red Light, Green Light" as a child? Most people played that game growing up, but as adults, many of us seem to have forgotten how to stop for a red light.  For example, according to the Federal Highway Administration, approximately 100,000 accidents and 1,000 deaths occur nationwide each year because one of the drivers involved was in too much of a hurry to stop at a red light. Read more...

Number of Illinois Red Light Tickets Issued 

Running red lights is a common problem in Illinois, although incidents of red light running will probably decrease as intersection cameras are installed in more and more locations. Just as an example of how common the problem is in Illinois, the city of Naperville tracked the number of Illinois red light tickets issued in the city over the past few years in preparation for setting up red light cameras. Read more...

Red Light Camera Locations 

Find a red light camera in your area. Read more...

What Are Traffic Lights? 

Imagine this: You are on your way to work, in a bit of a hurry and about to cross an intersection. The light is yellow, so you speed up, believing you'll have time to make it through the intersection before the light turns red. You realize that you've made the wrong choice when the light flashes to red just before you enter the intersection. You continue on through because it's too late to stop, but your gut churns as you wait to get pulled over. After a moment, you realize they aren't coming for you, and you breathe a deep sigh of relief. Read more...

What To Do If You Ran a Red Light

The fines for running a red light vary, depending on whether you received the ticket from a police officer or from an Illinois intersection camera. If you received the ticket from a police officer, it is treated as a moving violation. You will need to pay a fine of $75.00. Paying the fine is an admission of guilt, and the violation will add 20 points to your driving record. If you are eligible to attend an Illinois defensive driving school, you'll pay $115.00, but the violation will not be recorded on your driving record and won't raise your insurance rates. Read more...