A new study shows that Americans are increasingly disregarding red lights, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, according to a new report from Verra Mobility Corporation (NASDAQ: VRRM), a company that uses technology and data to improve transportation safety and efficiency. The study shows that for the past five years, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving recorded the highest number of red-light violations over the holiday weekend, while Thanksgiving Day has experienced the most speeding violations for the past two years.

The company analyzed traffic patterns across hundreds of communities in 21 states including California, Florida and New York. Traffic data showed that more than 57,000 red-light violations were recorded during the 2023 Thanksgiving weekend (Wednesday through Sunday). Additionally, red light running violations, per site, have continued to increase year after year since 2020.  

Driving trends also show that most red-light violations occurred between 12:00 and 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday. 

Drivers also accumulated higher rates of speeding infractions during the Thanksgiving holidays. Research found that in 2023, the holiday weekend racked up more than 150,000 speeding violations. 

Thanksgiving Day averages the most speeding violations of the weekend, with most violations occurring between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. The average number of speeding violations per site, however, has shown a slow downward trend since 2021. 

The National Safety Council (NSC) projects that 507 lives could be lost on U.S. roads during the Thanksgiving holiday period. 

"The holidays bring an extra layer of distraction, which can contribute to more dangerous driving. This seems to spike around the Thanksgiving weekend, so drivers need to be more alert when behind the wheel," said Jon Baldwin, executive vice president of Government Solutions, Verra Mobility. 

Baldwin continued, "With speeding contributing to one-third of all traffic deaths, it's critical that everyone stays focused on following the rules of the road to avoid becoming a statistic. We want everyone to arrive safely to and from their destinations this Thanksgiving holiday."