Can I proceed if the traffic light turns red while I'm halfway through a left turn?
4 Answers
If you are halfway through a left turn and your vehicle has already crossed the stop line before the red light turns on, you can continue the left turn without it being considered a violation. If the yellow light is on, the vehicle should stop and not cross the stop line, and when the red light is on, passage is prohibited. Otherwise, it is a violation. 1. Extended information: Traffic lights are internationally unified traffic signals. A red light is a stop signal, and a green light is a go signal. At intersections, vehicles from several directions gather here, some going straight, some turning, and it is the traffic lights that dictate who goes first. When the red light is on, going straight or turning left is prohibited, but turning right is allowed if it does not hinder pedestrians or other vehicles. When the green light is on, vehicles are permitted to go straight or turn. When the yellow light is on, vehicles should stop at the stop line or within the pedestrian crossing, unless they have already proceeded. A flashing yellow light warns vehicles to pay attention to safety. 2. Driving precautions: Maintain a calm and relaxed mindset. Before hitting the road, actively ease your mood, and while driving, you can appropriately play some soothing music to keep yourself in a pleasant and relaxed mental state. Stay calm when encountering problems, avoid impatience, so as not to "lose your head," otherwise even minor road issues could lead to serious traffic accidents.
I remember my driving instructor yelling about this during my last training session. If your car's front has already entered the intersection, you have to grit your teeth and drive through - slamming the brakes at this point is more likely to cause a rear-end collision. But if your front wheels haven't crossed the stop line when the light turns red, you must brake and stop immediately. The key is whether there are traffic cameras at the intersection. Some traffic lights in old urban areas only have yellow flashing detectors that don't capture crossing the line. Last week, our neighbor Lao Liu made a left turn in the new district - he was clearly behind the stop line when the light just turned red, yet he received a flashing light ticket at home three days later, with 6 points deducted and a 200 yuan fine. It's best to develop the habit of slowing down at yellow lights and not rushing those two or three seconds.
It depends on how far your car has gone. If your wheels have already crossed the zebra crossing, don't hesitate and just go through. Suddenly braking might cause the car behind to rear-end you. Once when I was driving my family on a trip, the light suddenly turned red as I was making a left turn. I panicked and slammed on the brakes, resulting in a rear-end collision that dented my trunk. The traffic police arrived and said I was at fault for not maintaining a safe distance. I learned my lesson - now I always check the rearview mirror carefully during left turns to make sure the car behind is far enough away. Driving in the city requires extra caution with those traffic lights that don't have countdown timers.
The Road Traffic Safety Law clearly states that vehicles are prohibited from crossing the stop line when the red light is on. However, in practice, there are gray areas. I've seen cases where traffic police enforce the law on the spot: if 30% of the vehicle has already entered the intersection, forcing it to stop would obstruct traffic or cause an accident. In such cases, traffic police usually show leniency. It's recommended to slow down in advance when approaching an intersection and avoid accelerating when seeing a yellow light. The automatic braking function in newer car models is quite practical, as it can stop the vehicle automatically in such situations.
