Can You Proceed When the Light Turns Red After Entering the Waiting Area?
2 Answers
If the entire vehicle has crossed the stop line and entered the waiting area before the light turns red, it is not a violation to proceed forward as long as it is safe to do so. However, if the entire vehicle stops on the crosswalk, it is considered running a red light. The left-turn waiting area can only be entered when the light is green and must not be entered when it is red. Once the light turns red, stopping in the waiting area is prohibited. As long as you enter the waiting area when the light is green, you must proceed even if the light turns red. Additionally, the law prohibits entering an intersection if it is congested. Therefore, theoretically, there should be no situation where you are stuck in the intersection unable to pass—if you are caught on camera, it will be considered a violation. Below is some related information: Introduction to the Left-Turn Waiting Area: The left-turn waiting area is a dashed lane that extends forward from the stop line at a traffic light intersection. It is primarily designed to improve traffic efficiency by providing a designated area for left-turning vehicles to wait. When to Enter the Waiting Area: When both the straight and left-turn signals are red, vehicles must not enter the left-turn waiting area and should wait behind the stop line. Otherwise, it will be considered running a red light, resulting in a 6-point penalty.
When I first started driving, I was also particularly afraid of the waiting zone. Later, a traffic police friend told me the key is the timing of entering the waiting zone. If you drive into the waiting zone when the left-turn light is green, even if the signal turns red afterward, you must stop within the frame of the waiting zone and wait. Driving out at this point would count as running a red light! Once on a rainy day, I stopped in the waiting zone and didn’t dare to move, even though the car behind me honked incessantly. Actually, at this time, it’s especially important to watch out for oncoming straight-moving vehicles—they see the green light and are accelerating to pass, so making a sudden left turn is particularly dangerous. My advice to new drivers is to grip the steering wheel firmly and stay calm when the waiting zone light turns red, carefully observe pedestrians and vehicles from other directions, and patiently wait for the next green light before proceeding.
