Cities Rewarding Safe Drivers With Never-Ending Green Lights See Dramatic Drop In Speeds And Crashes

The US has a speeding problem, but cities like Portland and Albuquerque are trying a new approach: rewarding safe drivers with green lights. The ‘Rest in Red’ system uses speed radars to scan vehicle speed and activate green lights for drivers who follow the speed limit. If a driver is speeding, the light remains red, forcing them to stop. Studies have shown that this system can reduce average speeds and accidents, and cities that have implemented it have seen promising results. For example, Albuquerque has seen a dramatic drop in crashes and injuries along one of its busy roads, and Portland has seen a reduction in average speed from 39 mph to 30 mph at one intersection. While it’s not a silver bullet, the ‘Rest in Red’ system may be a more effective way to reduce speeding than traditional methods of punishment.