How Far Beyond the Stop Line Constitutes Running a Red Light?
2 Answers
If a vehicle crosses the stop line during a red light but stops immediately, it will not be considered as running a red light. If the entire vehicle crosses the stop line, meaning both the front and rear wheels have crossed the stop line but not the opposite stop line, it is referred to as over-line stopping. According to Article 80 of the 'Road Traffic Safety Violation Scoring Standards': If a motor vehicle driver violates the traffic signal by crossing the stop line while waiting, a fine ranging from 20 to 200 yuan will be imposed, and 2 points will be deducted. The act of running a red light is clearly defined in the 'Road Traffic Safety Law'. Article 26 states that traffic signals consist of red, green, and yellow lights. A red light indicates prohibition of passage, a green light indicates permission to pass, and a yellow light serves as a warning. A red light is a traffic signal prohibiting passage. If a vehicle passes through an intersection during a red light, it constitutes the traffic violation of running a red light. Running a red light refers to the behavior where, when the vehicle is within the stop line, the forward direction is already a red light, but the vehicle continues to move forward, ultimately causing both the front and rear wheels to cross the stop line. This is determined by capturing three photos via electronic cameras: A photo of the vehicle crossing the intersection stop line, including the red light signal and license plate number. A photo of the vehicle completely crossing the stop line, including the red light signal and license plate number. A photo showing the vehicle continuing to move, comparing to see if the vehicle's position has changed, including the red light signal and license plate number. Capturing these three photos can determine that the vehicle has run a red light. Running a red light under the following circumstances is not considered a violation: Extreme weather: When visibility is very low, and even electronic police cannot clearly see the traffic lights. The photos of the violation evidence may be blurry, and if the red light is mistakenly run, the traffic police will not impose penalties. Emergency situations: After delivering a patient with an acute condition, citizens can provide proof from the hospital or the person being assisted to the traffic police for verification. If confirmed, the violation record can be cleared. If possible, it is best to call an ambulance to avoid running a red light and causing traffic accidents. Traffic police command: During peak commuting hours, traffic police may temporarily direct traffic at important intersections. Drivers must follow the gestures of the traffic police. Yielding to special vehicles: Yielding to special vehicles such as ambulances and fire trucks. If a violation is captured by surveillance cameras due to yielding to special vehicles, manual review will not record the act of running a red light. Even if recorded, an appeal can be filed with the traffic police department.
Actually, as a veteran driver with decades of experience, I'm well aware of this. The rule is that how far you cross the stop line to be considered running a red light depends on your wheel position at the moment the traffic light changes. When the red light turns on, as long as both your front and rear wheels have crossed that white line, the camera will take three photos for confirmation: the first shows the front wheel crossing the line, the second shows the rear wheel moving in the middle of the road not far from the crossing position, and the third shows the vehicle completely passing through the intersection. The distance isn't a fixed value—it's the system's intelligent judgment. If you accidentally cross the line a little, stopping and not moving might be fine; but if you continue forward, even just moving one meter, you'll get 6 points deducted and a 200-yuan fine. The worst part is it might cause an accident, harming both others and yourself. My advice is, don't rush when the light turns yellow; brake steadily and stop before the line—making it a habit is the safest. Never gamble on luck; the cameras are monitoring 24/7. Safety first—drive with caution.
