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Politics & Government

Number of Injuries from Automobile Accidents Increased in 2011

The bulk of accidents occurred on the busiest arteries in the village. Red light intersections are back up after a 2010 decrease.

In 2011 there were 95 automobile accidents resulting in personal injuries and two fatalities throughout Lisle, according to data provided by the .

Over the 12 month period there were 630 automobile accidents in Lisle, with nearly 7 percent resulting in injury. The number of automobile related injuries increased in 2011 from the previous two years, which each saw approximately 60 injuries from automobile traffic, according to the data.

Almost half of those 95 accidents in 2011 occurred along two of the village’s busiest arteries, Ogden Avenue and Maple Avenue, with 28 accidents and 19 accidents respectively. According to village statistics, approximately 32,200 cars pass along Ogden daily. Almost 44,000 cars drive along Maple per day.

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Warrenville, Yackley Avenue and Route 53 also saw a number of accidents that resulted in personal injury with eight, six and five accidents respectively. There were also two vehicle fatalities in 2011, following the Eyes to the Skies festival on Yackley and an Oct. 31 on College Road.

Two intersections along these routes have seen a high number of accidents and traffic violations over the years, which is why in 2008 village officials installed red light enforcement cameras at the intersections of Route 53 and Maple and Ogden and Yackley.

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The village’s reasons for installing the red light cameras included a desire to reduce the number of injuries from collisions involved in turns, reducing the number of overall crashes and reducing the number of red light violations at those intersections.

Since 2001 the intersection of 53 and Maple averages 26 annual accidents, according to data provided by the village of Lisle. After a drop in accidents at 53 and Maple in 2010 to 17, the number climbed back to 26 in 2011. Although that is still below the high of 35 in 2008, the year the camera was installed.

At the intersection of Ogden and Yackley there have been 17 annual accidents since 2001. The highest number of crashes at that intersection during the 10-year span was 18 in 2009. In 2010 there was also a decrease in the number of accidents at the intersection to 12.

Lisle Police Commander Ron Wilke said 2010 saw a decrease in accidents throughout the village, however he said he could not pinpoint one specific reason for the dip.

“It could have been weather related and people were just paying more attention, but I really can’t say,” Wilke said.

Since their installation in 2008 there have been 8,259 red light citations at those intersections, which generated $312,137.16 in revenue for the village, according to village data. According to the village website red light camera violations carry a $100 price tag. Wilke said the village’s share of red light camera revenue is shared with RedSpeed USA, the company that installed and maintains the cameras. RedSpeed receives approximately 70 percent of the revenue and the village receives approximately 30 percent, Wilke said. He added that the village has discretionary control over the citations issued by the RedSpeed cameras.

Wilke said the village does not maintain detailed records of the type of accident at each of these intersections with red light cameras. He said the department does not keep data of the nature of the accident, such as if the number of rear endings has increased due to drivers slamming on the brakes to avoid running a red light. Deputy Chief Dave Anderson said the village also does not keep data on the number of pedestrians injured in automobile accidents.

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