Dr. Delay: Study proves Tampa Bay drivers are among the most reckless in the U.S.

A colleague shared a AAA Foundation study featured in USA TODAY and the Doc just couldn’t pass it up.

Bear with me as I take a short break from addressing your roadway concerns to share one of my own.

The study examined the top 10 intersections nationwide with the highest number of cars running red lights in 2018 as part of a larger analysis that found that red light running deaths hit a 10-year high.

And guess what? Two of those 10 intersections are right here in Tampa Bay.

According to reports from Verra Mobility, the parent company of American Traffic Solutions, Tampa’s eastbound E Hillsborough Avenue intersection at N 22nd Street near Erwin Technical College ranked fifth with a total number of 7,674 violations in 2018, and New Port Richey’s northbound U.S. 19 intersection at Trouble Creek Road came in eighth with 6,380 violations in 2018.

Do the math.

That’s roughly about 21 and 17 motorists that run those red lights in Hillsborough and Pasco in one day.

The Doc feels your pain. We all have places to be and people to see, and sometimes we don’t feel like enduring long traffic lights.

But this is absurd.

Red still means stop, yellow still means slow down, and it’s obvious we know what green means.

The data examined only cars driving directly through an intersection as the light turned red. It did not include cars turning right on red.

Let’s do the right thing Tampa Bay and just stop at the red light.

It’s not hard. It’ll save you some money and it could save lives.

TRAFFIC UPDATES AND ROAD CLOSURES

HERNANDO COUNTY:

Day closures continue every day through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and night closures continue through Friday from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m along Interstate 75 south at U.S. 98/State Road 50 (Exit 301) to Sumter County line
Day closures continue every day through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and night closures continue through Friday from 6:30 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Daily lane closures with flagging operations continue through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Croom Rital Road under Interstate 75

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY:

Lane closures with flagging operations at Sligh Avenue under Interstate 75 Saturday from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Lane closures along Interstate 275 from west of State Road 60 (Exit 39) to Lois Avenue (Exit 40B) continue through Friday from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m.
Lane closures continue from Madison Avenue/Pendola Point Road to Port Sutton Road through Saturday 24 hours per day for U.S. 41 intersection reconstruction.
Intermittent lane closures continue from Bullfrog Creek to Denver Street through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. for U.S. 41 drainage and sidewalk installation
Lane closures continue from Florida Avenue to Ida Street through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. for U.S. Business 41 (Highland Avenue and W Violet Street) roadway/pedestrian improvements
Buchman Highway/Sam Allen Road intersection closed to all through-traffic for two months until late November. Access to business and residential properties will be maintained. The intersection will be closed for various construction activities, including replacement of the CSX railroad tracks, utility relocations, and roadway construction associated with the Sam Allen Road widening project. Buchman Highway (SR 39A) through-traffic will be detoured to Alexander Street (SR 39), using Monroe and Franklin streets. Sam Allen Road (CR 580) through-traffic will be detoured using Alexander (SR 39), Franklin and Monroe streets, Buchman Highway (SR 39A), N Frontage Road, and Park Road. Detour signs will be used to assist motorists through the detours. Motorists should expect heavier than normal traffic volumes on these roads during this closure.
Road closure at Sun City Center Boulevard (SR 674) for Del Webb Boulevard West drainage installation Friday.
Intermittent lane closures continue through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Bullfrog Creek to Denver Street for US 41 drainage and sidewalk installation
Nightly lane closures continue at SR 589 (Veteran’s Expressway) through Saturday from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. for SR 60 operational improvements

PASCO COUNTY:

One of two lanes closed approaching State Road 56/I-275 northbound (Exit 59) and I-75 northbound (Exit 275) exit ramp system to SR 56 10 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Saturday
Lane closures continue from Pond Avenue to Long Avenue/Pioneer Museum Road from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m Friday for US 301/US 98 repaving

PINELLAS COUNTY:

Gateway Expressway project lane closures
- Southbound lane closures from on Interstate 275 from Fourth Street (Exit 32) to south of Gandy Boulevard (Exit 28) through Saturday from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
- Lane closures on I-275 northbound Exit 30 ramp to westbound SR 686 (Roosevelt Boulevard) and westbound CR 296 (118th Avenue) through Saturday from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
- Lane closures from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. through Saturday at U.S. 19 Frontage Roads from 110th Avenue N to 126th Avenue N, at SR 686 (Roosevelt Boulevard) from State Road 688 (Ulmerton Road) to 49th Street, at SR 686 (Roosevelt Boulevard) entrance ramp to the Bayside Bridge, at SR 686 (Roosevelt Boulevard) from 28th Street to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street, at County Road 611/49th Street from 145th Avenue to Bayside Bridge, and at 118th Avenue from U.S. 19 to 34th Street N.
Intermittent lane closures continue from SR 60 (Chestnut Street) to Mohawk Street through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for Alt. U.S. 19 (Myrtle Avenue) repaving
Lane closures continue through Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 22nd Avenue S (southbound only) for I-275 interchange improvements
Nightly lane closures continue through Friday from 7:30 p.m. to 8 a.m. from U.S. 19 to 41st Street S for SR 682 (54th Avenue S) repaving

Email Dr. Delay at docdelay@tampabay.com to share your traffic concerns, questions, and pictures of roadway troubles you spot in your travels around the Tampa Bay area. Follow @AskDrDelay.