WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) released results from a study that  found a 35 percent reduction in fatal red light running crashes in cities with photo-enforced intersections.

The study shows the percentage equates to 159 lives saved during the years 2004 through 2008.

“Many studies have documented that photo enforcement reduces crashes and saves lives, but this is the first study that demonstrates the cumulative safety benefit over time and across programs,” said Leslie Blakey, executive director of the National Campaign to Stop Red Light Running. “Since our campaign began in 2001, we’ve seen exponential growth in programs across the country and also noted the downward trend in fatalities and injuries. We knew it had to be related and now there’s proof.”

IIHS examined accident data from the largest 99 U.S. cities, 48 of which without red light photo enforcement. Although the number of deadly intersection crashes was reduced in cities with and without photo enforcement during this five-year span, cities with photo enforcement experienced an additional 24 percent reduction over cities without photo enforcement.

Blakely added that the red light campaign was pleased to see that IIHS included the victims of red light running to humanize the devastating effects of aggressive driving.

Researchers estimate that an additional 656 lives could have been saved if those studied 48 cities without photo enforcement had been using it during that five year time period. Nationally, red light running killed 676 people and injured an estimated 113,000 in 2009. In 2001, red light running claimed 880 lives, and caused an additional 181,000 injuries according to the Department of Transportation Fatality Analysis Reporting System’s (FARS) statistics.

“Although photo enforcement saved an estimated 159 Americans during the course of IIHS’ study, the truly staggering number is the 656 people who could have been saved by photo enforcement, but were not,” said campaign national spokesperson Ann Sweet. “I applaud IIHS for publishing this impactful study, and I hope that it serves to educate decision makers and grow the number of lives photo enforcement saves annually.”

Since the campaign’s inception, photo enforcement has experienced an exponential amount of growth, and along with it, acquired a large number of skeptics. The campaign stated that the IIHS study again confirms that when, implemented as a supplement to traditional law enforcement, along with sound engineering and public education, photo enforcement is an effective tool in reducing the number of deaths and injuries caused by red light running.