Yakima Police Want to Put the Brakes On Red Light Crashes

18 drivers in Yakima over the last week were involved in crashes as a result of not stopping for a red light. Yakima Police say it's a constant problem they want to stop.

With a shortage of Officers police say they can't afford to place officers sitting idle to watch specific intersections. The reason why they're hoping drivers police themselves. Authorities are concerned a red light crash will eventually result in a fatal crash. Speed and red light patrols continue in the cities of Yakima and Union Gap.

Over the past week Yakima Officers made a total of 844 traffic stops and issued 366 citations. They investigated 32 collisions with 18 the result of drivers not stopping for a red light. Officers also arrested 9 drivers for Driving Under the Influence or DUI.The week before the crash numbers were almost identical. Officers investigated 33 collisions with 19 the result of drivers not stopping for a red light. Officers won't say if any of the red light crash drivers were impaired but they arrested 7 drivers during the week for Driving Under the Influence.

Officers are seeing a majority of the red light crashes at three different intersections;*40th Avenue and Powerhouse Road *East Yakima Avenue and 17th Street *16th Avenue and SummitviewThe patrol numbers are available for Union Gap but Officers in both cities continue searching for drivers who don't obey traffic laws hoping to cut the number of serious injury and fatal crashes in Yakima and Union Gap. In a Hurry in Yakima or Union Gap? Don't Speed Because Police Are Watching.