On the corner of a busy intersection in Lansing, stands a small white cross. The cross itself has a name inscribed on it in small black letters. And on the ground around the cross are several bouquets of artificial flowers. Every day, I pass this spot on my way to work in the morning. And I was there right after it happened.

A minivan had entered the intersection on a green light but got broadsided on the drivers side by someone running a red light. The impact was so forceful that it rolled the minivan over onto the very spot where the cross resides. The driver was dead at the scene.

People in Lansing have the habit of running red lights. Instead of coming to a stop when the light turns yellow, they floor it in a effort to get to the other side. Sometimes they make it through on the yellow, sometimes they make it through on the red but sometimes the light turns red before they even enter the intersection. And they are further encouraged by the fact that most signals now days have a two second delayed green, giving them a little extra time to get through the intersection.

Now, these light runners are hedging on the fact that even if the light turns red, they will still have enough time to get through the intersection. Why? Because the cross traffic is at a dead stop and it will take it a few seconds to get started; at least long enough for the light runners to clear the intersection. But in order for this to work, all cross traffic has to be at a dead stop. Unfortunately, on that day, that was not the case.

Two of the three lanes were full of stopped traffic that morning. They were all going to proceed through the intersection and make left turns in the two left turn lanes of the next intersection. The third lane was empty. The light runner had anticipated that all cross traffic would be stopped, allowing him that extra few seconds to clear the intersection. This was not the case.

The empty third lane was great for the minivan driver as he was headed for the gas station just beyond the second intersection. As he approached the intersection, the light turned green and he proceeded thought without having to slow down. A moment later, he was dead.

Thirty years ago, a friend of mine was killed in Lansing under similar circumstances. He was only 19.

When you drive in Lansing, do not assume that you have the right of way just because the light is green. You have to look before proceeding because people in Lansing regularly run red lights.