Can you enter the waiting zone when the light is red?

[SanDaniel]

The waiting zone cannot be entered when the light is red, because the waiting zone is only for left or right turns. If a vehicle intends to turn, it can wait in the waiting zone until the red light turns green. Below are relevant details: 1. Always pay attention to road conditions: When driving, vehicles should pay more attention to road conditions. Before entering the traffic light area, the speed should be reduced in advance, and a safe distance should be maintained from the vehicle ahead. 2. Relevant regulations: Entering the left-turn waiting zone is only allowed when either the left-turn signal light, the straight signal light, or both are on. Otherwise, it constitutes running a red light, which will result in fines and penalty points.

[MacDonovan]

When driving, I pay special attention to traffic rules, especially the traffic lights at intersections. Never enter the waiting zone when the light is red—it's equivalent to running a red light! The waiting zone is a temporary parking area for left-turning vehicles, but the prerequisite for entering is that the straight-ahead direction has a green light. If the entire intersection is red, rushing in will not only get you caught by traffic cameras but also risk a collision with vehicles coming from the side. Last time at a city intersection, I witnessed a similar accident where a driver forced their way into the waiting zone and ended up sideswiping a right-turning truck. The correct approach is to wait patiently behind the stop line when the light is red and only move forward into the waiting zone when the straight-ahead light turns green. Additionally, extra caution is needed when driving in the evening, as poor lighting can make it easy to misjudge the position of traffic lights.

[LukeLee]

From my observation, many drivers are confused about the rules for using the waiting zone. You must never enter the waiting zone when the light is red! The key here is to observe the status of the straight-through signal: only when the straight-through light is green can left-turning vehicles enter the waiting zone to wait. If the straight-through light is red, even if the left-turn light hasn't turned on yet, crossing the stop line counts as a violation. Once while driving, my navigation suddenly alerted me to a violation risk because the car ahead mistakenly entered the waiting zone during a red light. Nowadays, traffic cameras are very smart, and such red-light running behavior will result in at least 6 points deducted and a 200 yuan fine. What's more troublesome is that stopping in the waiting zone can block cross traffic, potentially causing the entire intersection to gridlock during rush hours. For safety, remember the golden rule: 'Stop at red, go at green.'

[TessaRose]

After ten years of driving, my experience tells me: when the red light is on, you must stop behind the stop line, and the waiting area is no exception. The waiting area may seem empty, but it's designed as a buffer space for when the green light comes on. Entering it during a red light is not only a violation of traffic laws—traffic police can issue a ticket on the spot—but also extremely dangerous, especially at night when cross-traffic vehicles don’t expect cars in the waiting area. The correct procedure is simple: enter the waiting area when the straight-through light turns green, and only turn left when the left-turn signal turns green. Be extra cautious in heavy rain or fog; if road markings are unclear, follow the car ahead while maintaining a safe distance. Road safety should always come first.