By blindly following this left turner, this driver received instant karma, getting hit by another red light runner.
Utahan and Redditor /u/emorris9989 shared head-shaking dashcam footage from Lindon, Utah from earlier this August (Aug 15, 2024) to the /r/IdiotsInCars subreddit showing a driver in a Kia Sedona blindly following a driver turning left just as their left turn arrow turned red.
Unfortunately, the van gets T-boned as a result.
Check out her dashcam footage below.
Accident in Utah 8.15.2024 [Rexing R4] [oc]
byu/emorris9989 inIdiotsInCars
The accident happened at the intersection of N State St. and 700 St. in Lindon (Exact location on Google Maps linked here.)
As OP’s video shows, she’s stopped at the intersection in a left turn lane behind two vehicles, a Nissan Versa and a Kia Sedona.
As this closeup of their light shows, left turners must yield when their arrow is flashing yellow.
At that point, there’s cross traffic with the right of way.
It isn’t a protected turn lane.
The driver in the Versa enters the intersection as the flashing yellow turns solid, indicating a red arrow is coming up soon.
It’s admittedly hard to make out in the dashcam video but, according to OP, both vehicles entered the intersection at a red light.
The driver in the Sedona, not wanting to wait, blindly follows the Versa.
Ironically, the Sedona gets T-boned by an elderly driver in a Teal Toyota Prius who also ran a red light (their light turned red, too,) the damage happening on what looks like its front passenger fender with the Versa avoiding the Prius altogether.
“I picked up my phone and called 911 right after, OP explains in a comment.
“I offered to send them the video if they gave me their info. KIA driver did not want to be “giving her information out.” I told her, That’s fine I don’t care.”
“The Prius driver was elderly and was kind. She had an even older man in the passenger. She expressed she was trying to stop and that it was her favorite car.”
“They’re both at fault for sure.”
If observed by a police officer and cited, in Utah, running a red light is subject to a $120 base fine with 50 demerit points added to your record.
“I’m a big fan of red light runners introducing themselves to each other,” /u/_jump_yossarian commented.
“It’s nice to see another driver just sit at a red light and pay attention. This makes me happy OP,” /u/hanimal16 added.
“Love the facial expression at the moment of collision. Perfectly captures most of the people on this sub, I imagine,” said /u/truecore, a sentiment shared by many other commenters.
This is a reminder of the dangers of blindly following other drivers who disregard traffic signals.
It’s a valuable lesson in patience, further reinforcing that no risky shortcut, no matter the time savings, is worth risking a serious accident over.
