Green means look both ways

If recent auto-accident related news has confirmed anything, it's that green does not mean go, it means look both ways and then go. I know that's the first thing they teach you in drivers ed, but even the most experienced drivers can get pretty lazy about that rule.

In March of this year, someone ran a red light on Rt. 29 and hit someone else using the left exit on to Rt. 70. It seems likely that this was a case of the person with the green light paying attention to the lights rather than checking to make sure the people with the red light were actually going to stop.

Again this week, a garbage truck ran a red light at Rt. 97 and Rt. 144 and hit a minivan (the article isn't clear about who was at fault, but the garbage truck at fault scenario seems to best fit the fact pattern). From what I have heard, it was pretty bad. Again, this could have probably been avoided if the person with the green light would have checked to make sure people with the red light were actually stopping.

We have a slogan to go inside when it thunders, but not one to look both ways at traffic lights. Traffic lights are far more likely to kill you.