SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — We’ve all seen it: a driver outright running a red light or pushing their luck with a yellow light. Sgt. Travis Olsen with the Sioux Falls Police Department says it’s becoming more common.

“I do tend to think that the problem is growing with the growth of our city,” Olsen said. “We have a lot more traffic volume out there these days than we used to, and the numbers actually do kind of reflect it.”

Olsen says the department handed out 440 red light tickets in 2020, 519 in 2021 and 542 in 2022; this adds up to a 23% increase. Residents might be able to guess some of the locations which generate the most complaints about people running a red light, but others might be more surprising.

“Most of downtown in general, but also some of our big intersections like 41st and Minnesota, 41st and Louise, and some of the thoroughfare streets certainly get a lot of complaints, but it seems like we actually see a lot of complaints along 12th Street,” Olsen said.

We all have places to be, and sometimes it can seem like shaving a moment or two off our commute can make a huge difference. Olsen says these lights deserve drivers’ respect.

“I just emphasize slow down and stop for these turning signals,” Olsen said.