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

Rhea-AI Summary

Verra Mobility Corporation (VRRM) released data showing an increase in red-light and speeding violations during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. The data revealed that the Wednesday before Thanksgiving had the most red-light violations, while Thanksgiving Day had the most speeding violations. The National Safety Council reported that the 2022 Thanksgiving weekend was estimated to be the deadliest since 2007, with over 570 traffic fatalities occurring during the five-day period. The data also indicated that speeding was a factor in one-third of all traffic fatalities, emphasizing the need for increased alertness during the holiday weekend.

Positive

• Increase in data accuracy due to examination of driving data across nearly 200 communities
• Reliable predictions for 2023 Thanksgiving driving patterns based on consistent trends in speed and red-light violations during 2020 and 2021

Negative

• Significant increase in traffic fatalities during the 2022 Thanksgiving weekend compared to previous years
• High volume of speed and red-light violations during peak afternoon hours, posing a risk to road safety

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.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements about Verra Mobility's plans, objectives, expectations, beliefs and intentions and other statements including words such as "hope," "anticipate," "may," "believe," "expect," "intend," "will," "should," "plan," "estimate," "predict," "continue" and "potential" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. The forward-looking statements herein represent the judgment of the Verra Mobility, as of the date of this release, and Verra Mobility disclaims any intent or obligation to update forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated. This press release should be read in conjunction with the information included in Verra Mobility's other press releases, reports and other filings with the SEC and on the SEC website, www.sec.gov. Understanding the information contained in these filings is important in order to fully understand Verra Mobility's reported financial results and our business outlook for future periods. Actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in the forward-looking statements and the assumptions and estimates used as a basis for the forward-looking statements.

Additional Information

We periodically provide information for investors on our corporate website, www.verramobility.com, and our investor relations website, ir.verramobility.com.

We intend to use our website as a means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Accordingly, investors should monitor our website, in addition to following the Company's press releases, SEC filings and public conference calls and webcasts.

Media Relations:
Valerie Schneider
valerie.schneider@verramobility.com

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SOURCE Verra Mobility

FAQ

How many red-light violations occurred during the 2022 Thanksgiving weekend?

Almost 50,000 red-light violations were recorded during the 2022 Thanksgiving weekend.

What was the deadliest Thanksgiving weekend since 2007 according to the National Safety Council?

The 2022 Thanksgiving weekend was estimated to be the deadliest since 2007, with over 570 traffic fatalities.

What percentage of traffic fatalities were attributed to speeding?

Speeding was a factor in one-third of all traffic fatalities during the holiday weekend.

What were the peak hours for speed and red-light violations during the holiday weekend?

The afternoon hours, from 1-5 p.m., had the highest volume of speed and red-light violations, posing a risk to road safety.