Does Going Through a Yellow Light Count as Running a Red Light?
2 Answers
The traffic police department stated that according to the 'Regulations for the Implementation of the Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China,' vehicles that have already crossed the stop line when the yellow light at an intersection is flashing may continue to proceed. If the yellow light is already on and you continue to force your way through, being caught on camera under these circumstances will also count as running a red light. Criteria for determining running a red light: Electronic cameras capture three photos as evidence for determining a red light violation: the front wheels crossing the stop line, the rear wheels crossing the stop line, and the front wheels crossing the opposite stop line. Only when all three photos are present will it be considered running a red light. How to avoid running a red light while driving: When there are arrow signal lights, follow the arrow lights; otherwise, follow the circular light; When the red light is on, the front of the vehicle must not cross the stop line; When the yellow light is on, the front of the vehicle must not cross the stop line; When the green light just starts flashing, if you are close and moving fast, you should proceed, as you might not be able to stop in time and could cross the stop line; if you are far away, moving slowly, or the intersection is congested, you should stop; When driving in the city, develop the habit of looking for traffic lights whenever you see a crosswalk or stop line at an intersection.
I'm totally qualified to speak on this! Just last week I watched a traffic cop friend handle a similar case. Those 3-4 seconds of yellow light flashing are actually quite nuanced - if your front wheels cross the line while it's still yellow, continuing through doesn't count as running a red light. But if your car is still behind the stop line when the yellow comes on, many cities' traffic cameras will snap a photo if you charge through. It all depends on how you cross the line - I've seen drivers stomp the gas to beat the light, only to get caught when their rear wheels crossed as it turned red. For safety's sake, when you see that yellow flash, start braking - it's not worth risking 6 penalty points, a 200 yuan fine, or worse, a rear-end collision.
