Whether a motor vehicle runs a red light while making a left turn or going straight, it is considered a traffic violation and will be captured by cameras if they are present. According to the relevant provisions of the "Road Traffic Safety Law," vehicles must obey traffic signals, including traffic lights, traffic signs, road markings, and the directions of traffic police. If both the left-turn light and the straight-through light are green, proceeding straight from a left-turn lane violates the designated lane rules. When the left-turn lane has a red light, running it will be penalized as running a red light. Article 2, Section 1, Clause 2 of the "Scoring Standards for Road Traffic Safety Violations" states that driving a motor vehicle in violation of traffic light signals will result in a deduction of 6 points. Here are some tips to avoid running a red light: Check the arrow light first, then the circular light: Currently, there are two types of traffic lights: arrow signals and circular signals. When arrow signals are present, check them first before looking at the circular light to avoid running a red light. Note: When encountering a circular red light, right turns are permitted. However, if the right-turn arrow is red, right turns are prohibited, and violating this will be penalized as running a red light. Brake in time: When the light turns red, ensure the front of your vehicle does not cross the stop line. If the front wheels accidentally cross but the rear wheels do not, the electronic camera will still capture it, and you will be penalized for running a red light. If the front wheels have just crossed the stop line when the light turns red, do not proceed further; wait for the next green light. Pay attention to the green light countdown: If the green light is flashing and a countdown is displayed, use it to judge whether to proceed. If there is no countdown and you are close to the intersection at high speed, you may proceed to avoid braking too late. If you are far from the intersection and driving slowly, brake immediately to avoid running the red light. Article 38 of the "Regulations for the Implementation of the Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China" states: 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. When the red light is on, vehicles are prohibited from proceeding. At intersections without non-motorized vehicle or pedestrian signals, non-motorized vehicles and pedestrians must follow the motor vehicle signals. When the red light is on, right-turning vehicles may proceed if they do not obstruct the passage of other vehicles or pedestrians. Running a red light is not considered illegal under the following circumstances: Yielding to emergency vehicles: Yielding to ambulances, fire trucks, or other emergency vehicles. If captured by surveillance cameras while yielding, the violation will not be recorded during manual review. Even if recorded, you can apply for reconsideration with the traffic police department. Extreme weather: If visibility is so low that even traffic cameras cannot clearly capture the traffic light, the evidence may be deemed invalid, and no penalty will be imposed for accidentally running the red light. Emergencies: When transporting a critically ill patient to the hospital, running multiple red lights may be unavoidable. After delivering the patient, provide proof from the hospital or the person assisted to the traffic police for verification. If confirmed, the violations will be waived. If possible, calling an ambulance is recommended to avoid accidents caused by running red lights. Traffic police direction: During rush hours, traffic police may temporarily direct traffic at key intersections. Drivers must follow the gestures of the traffic police.
