Red-Light Safety Cameras PSA Video Released with Shula and Estefan
July 9, 2013 — Don Shula, NFL Hall of Fame Coach, and Emilio Estefan, Grammy award-winning musician and producer, have partnered with The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis to raise awareness of the dangers of red-light running. In the recently released PSA video, shown above, Shula, Estefan and The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis share their support for red-light safety cameras as proven tools to help reduce life-threatening collisions and enhance road safety.
“Red-light running has become an epidemic of sorts in Florida, with 350 resulting fatalities from 2007 to 2011 and thousands more injured,” said Marc Buoniconti, president of The Miami Project. “Having Coach Shula and Emilio Estefan on our side will help The Miami Project educate the public and ultimately save lives.”
One person is killed each week in Florida from red-light running according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Additionally, red-light running accidents result in some of the most dangerous crashes, such as the extremely deadly right-angle crash, but red-light cameras are proven to help prevent these types of accidents.
Red light safety cameras are currently helping to keep roads safer across more than 70 communities in Florida. In a 2012 survey conducted by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, more than half of the state’s communities with red-light safety programs saw a decline in red-light related crashes.
As part of the safety programs, each ticket issued from safety cameras helps fund level-one trauma centers and breakthrough research on spinal cord and brain injuries at The Miami Project. Of the $158 fine paid by red-light violators, $10 is distributed to local trauma centers through the Health Administrative Trust Fund, and $3 is allocated to research programs at The Miami Project.
Trauma centers and The Miami Project received nearly $4.4 million within the past two years, which allows The Miami Project to continue its mission to end paralysis and has helped it become the world’s most comprehensive spinal cord injury research center.