Does a Car's Front Wheels Crossing the Line Count as Running a Red Light?
1 Answers
No. If the front wheels of the vehicle just cross the stop line when the light is red, and the vehicle stops immediately without moving further, it will not be considered running a red light. However, if the vehicle continues to proceed in violation of the rules, it will be deemed as running a red light, resulting in a 6-point penalty. If the vehicle fully crosses the line and stops only after completely passing the line, affecting the passage of other vehicles or pedestrians, it will be penalized for crossing the line and stopping, typically resulting in a 3-point deduction on the driver's license and a fine. Article 38 of the "Regulations for the Implementation of the Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China" states the following for motor vehicle and non-motor vehicle traffic signals: When the green light is on, vehicles are permitted to proceed, but turning vehicles must not obstruct the passage of straight-moving vehicles or pedestrians. When the yellow light is on, vehicles that have already crossed the stop line may continue to proceed. When the red light is on, vehicles are prohibited from proceeding. When the red light is on, right-turning vehicles may proceed if they do not obstruct the passage of other vehicles or pedestrians. At intersections without non-motor vehicle or pedestrian crossing signals, non-motor vehicles and pedestrians must follow the motor vehicle traffic signals. The new traffic regulations clearly define three necessary conditions for a vehicle to be considered running a red light: The vehicle illegally crosses the stop line. The vehicle illegally enters the intersection. The vehicle illegally crosses the opposite stop line. Electronic police (traffic cameras) capture three complete video images to determine a vehicle running a red light: an image of the vehicle's violation, an image of the vehicle's license plate, and a panoramic image. There are three scenarios for determining whether a vehicle has run a red light while driving: If the vehicle's front wheels cross the stop line or both front and rear wheels cross but the rear of the vehicle does not fully pass the stop line, and the vehicle stops immediately, traffic police will not penalize it as running a red light. However, the driver may still be penalized for improper parking, resulting in a 3-point deduction. If the vehicle's front wheels cross the stop line, regardless of whether the entire vehicle has fully crossed, and the vehicle stops and then reverses, being captured by traffic cameras in two complete moving images, it will be treated as running a red light, resulting in a 6-point deduction and a fine. If the entire vehicle fully crosses the stop line and stops or continues forward, and within one red light cycle, the traffic cameras capture the three complete images constituting a red light violation, the vehicle will be penalized for running a red light, regardless of whether it proceeds to the intersection or crosses the opposite stop line, resulting in a 6-point deduction and a fine. The new traffic regulations state: driving a motor vehicle in violation of traffic signals will result in a 6-point penalty. However, not all violations will lead to a 6-point deduction. For example, turning left in a straight-only lane will still be penalized under the "Road Traffic Safety Law" as violating a prohibition sign, resulting in a 3-point deduction. Additionally, red light violations recorded by cameras will only result in a fine, with no point deduction.
