Does passing through a yellow light count as running a red light?
2 Answers
According to Article 38 of the 'Regulations for the Implementation of the Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China', when the yellow light at an intersection is flashing, vehicles that have already crossed the stop line may continue to pass. Passing through a yellow light after crossing the stop line does not count as running a red light. If the yellow light is already on and you continue to force your way through, being caught on camera in such a scenario will count as running a red light. According to the relevant provisions of Article 90 of the 'Regulations on the Handling Procedures for Road Traffic Safety Violations', motor vehicle drivers who do not follow traffic signals will be penalized with 6 demerit points and a fine of 200 yuan. Criteria for determining a red light violation: Electronic cameras will take 3 photos as the basis 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 3 photos are present will it be considered a red light violation. If you stop the car after crossing the stop line when the red light is on, even if you have already crossed the line, it will not be considered running a red light but will be classified as stopping beyond the line. How to avoid running a red light while driving: When there are arrow signal lights, follow the arrow lights; otherwise, follow the circular lights; 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 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 or approach an intersection.
I've just experienced this situation and would like to share with everyone. If your car has already crossed the stop line when the yellow light comes on, it's not considered a violation and you can continue driving through. However, if your car is still behind the line and you rush through the yellow light, it's considered a violation in many places. Although it's not as serious as running a red light, you can still get a ticket. My colleague was fined 200 yuan and had 3 points deducted last month for this. The key issue isn't the fine - the yellow light is meant to remind you to pay attention to road conditions. Forcing your way through makes it particularly easy to collide with suddenly appearing electric bikes or pedestrians. Once on a rainy day, I almost rear-ended the car in front because it suddenly braked hard to rush through a yellow light. My suggestion is that when you're about 20 meters from an intersection and see the green light flashing, you should start preparing to slow down.
