According to Article 2, Section 1, Clause 2 of the 'Scoring Standards for Road Traffic Safety Violations,' driving a motor vehicle in violation of traffic signal lights will result in a deduction of 6 points. Running a red light refers to the act of a motor vehicle violating the prohibition of passage during the red light phase at a signal-controlled intersection or road section, crossing the stop line, and continuing to drive. According to Article 26 of the 'Road Traffic Safety Law,' traffic signal lights consist of red, green, and yellow lights. A red light indicates prohibition of passage, a green light indicates permission to proceed, and a yellow light serves as a warning. Article 44 states that motor vehicles passing through intersections must do so in accordance with traffic signal lights, traffic signs, road markings, or the instructions of traffic police. To avoid running a red light, follow these guidelines: Check the arrow light first, then the circular light: Currently, there are two types of indicator lights: arrow traffic lights and circular indicator traffic lights. When arrow lights are present, check the arrow light first and then the circular light to avoid running a red light. Note: When encountering a circular red light, you may turn right. However, if the right-turn arrow signal is red, you must not turn right; otherwise, you will be penalized for running a red light. Brake promptly: When the red light turns on, ensure the front of your vehicle does not cross the stop line. If the front wheels accidentally cross, and the rear wheels follow, electronic cameras will capture the violation, resulting in a penalty for running a red light. If the front wheels have just crossed the stop line when the light turns red, do not proceed; wait for the green light before continuing. Check the green light countdown before proceeding: When the green light flashes, if there is a countdown, use it to judge whether to proceed. If there is no countdown and you are close to the intersection with sufficient speed, you may proceed to avoid running a red light due to delayed braking. If your speed is slow and you are far from the intersection, brake immediately to stop and avoid running a red light. 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 signal lights: 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. At intersections without non-motor vehicle or pedestrian crossing signal lights, non-motor vehicles and pedestrians must follow the motor vehicle signal lights. 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 at the traffic police department. Extreme weather: When visibility is so low that even electronic police cannot clearly see the traffic lights, the evidence photos may be blurry. In such cases, mistakenly running a red light will not result in penalties. Emergency situations: Transporting a critically ill patient to the hospital may involve running multiple red lights, quickly exhausting the 12-point limit. After delivering the patient, provide proof from the hospital or the rescued individual to the traffic police for verification. If confirmed, the violation records can be cleared. If possible, calling an ambulance is recommended to avoid accidents caused by running red lights. Traffic police direction: During peak hours, traffic police may temporarily direct traffic at key intersections. Drivers must follow the gestures of the traffic police.
