Thanksgiving weekend traffic data shows red-light running is most prevalent on Wednesdays

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Nov 21, 2023, 09:00 ET

More speeding violations occur on Thanksgiving Day during the holiday weekend - the busiest travel period of the year

MESA, Ariz., Nov. 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Verra Mobility Corporation (NASDAQ: VRRM), a leading provider of smart mobility technology solutions, released data from its proprietary U.S. traffic safety systems showing the most red-light violations during the holiday weekend occurred on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, while the most speeding violations occurred on Thanksgiving Day.

Examining driving data across nearly 200 communities, Verra Mobility found almost 50,000 red-light violations and 200,000 speed violations occurred during the 2022 Thanksgiving weekend – Wednesday through Sunday – which was estimated to be the deadliest Thanksgiving since 2007 according to the National Safety Council.

Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows more than 570 traffic fatalities occurred during this five-day period in 2020 and 2021 – an increase of more than 20% compared to 2019.

The aggregated data also showed both speed and red light had the most violations during the afternoon hours, from 1-5 p.m., compared to any other period during the holiday weekend. This trend was consistent for 2021 and 2020, leading to reliable predictions for the 2023 Thanksgiving driving predictions.

"Drivers need to be particularly alert on Wednesday and Thursday during Thanksgiving weekend," said Jon Baldwin, executive vice president of government solutions, Verra Mobility. "Speeding is a factor in one-third of all traffic fatalities; nobody wants to be a statistic during the holidays."

Red-light running data

Wednesday also had the most violations for years 2021 and 2020 with the average number of violations per location increasing year over year.
In the years 2020-2022, the evening rush hour, 5-7 p.m., had one of the lowest number of citations, whereas the afternoon, 1-5 p.m., had the highest; midday, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., came in second.

Speeding data

In 2022, Thanksgiving Day had the most speed citations of the holiday weekend, reaching more than 45,000; this was followed by Saturday in second place, and a close third was Black Friday.
Speeding periods mimicked red-light data with the afternoon hours, 1-5 p.m., receiving the highest volume of citations, followed by midday. Rush hour, 5-7 p.m., had the lowest violation period.

"We all want to get to our holiday destination to celebrate with family and friends. But with so many distractions already on the roads, we need to be more vigilant about how we get there," said Baldwin. "By prioritizing safety and responsible driving, we can all contribute to safer roads, a crucial component to everyone getting home this holiday."

Verra Mobility released this data to bring awareness to distracted and dangerous driving behaviors in an effort to make roads safer for everyone. The company's safety solution programs help change reckless driving behaviors and hold drivers accountable for their actions.

Verra Mobility encourages all drivers to join their efforts to make our roads safer for everyone. For information on the Zero in on Safety pledge, visit verramobility.com/zero-in-pledge.

About Verra Mobility

Verra Mobility (NASDAQ: VRRM) is a leading provider of smart mobility technology solutions that make transportation safer, smarter and more connected. The company sits at the center of the mobility ecosystem, bringing together vehicles, hardware, software, data and people to enable safe, efficient solutions for customers globally. Verra Mobility's transportation safety systems and parking management solutions protect lives, improve urban and motorway mobility and support healthier communities. The company also solves complex payment, utilization and compliance challenges for fleet owners and rental car companies. Headquartered in Arizona, Verra Mobility operates in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. For more information, please visit www.verramobility.com.

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SOURCE Verra Mobility