How to Check If You Ran a Red Light?
2 Answers
Checking traffic violations refers to the method of querying motor vehicle violations of traffic management regulations through online platforms or query terminals. Methods for checking vehicle violations include website queries, phone inquiries, SMS queries, and mobile app queries. Specific query methods are as follows: Website Query: You can search for 'vehicle violation query' and enter your vehicle information to check. Phone Query: To check violations, you can call the local 114 (area code + 114) or 12580 for traffic violation confirmation. Violations can only be processed at the traffic police department where the violation occurred or where the vehicle's license plate was issued. For on-the-spot violations, such as those directly caught by traffic police, they must be handled at the location of the violation. SMS Query: Open the SMS interface on your phone; enter the violation license plate number in the message content and input 1062650001 as the recipient, then click send. Mobile App Query: For iOS 15 and above, use the Traffic Management 12123 app (V2.8.1B437), or for Android 12 and above, use the Traffic Management 12123 app (V2.8.1B274). Taking Apple as an example, open the app and select 'violation query' to check. After running a red light, the illegal photo SMS is usually received within 3 to 7 days, with a maximum of about 13 days. However, some cities now offer 'instant electronic police capture alerts,' where you can receive an SMS notification within 5-10 minutes of being captured. But the notification does not equate to a violation; it serves only as a capture alert. The final determination of whether it is a violation takes 3-7 days. If it is indeed a violation, a new SMS notification will be sent. For violations captured by surveillance cameras, vehicle owners generally do not receive the violation SMS immediately. There is a time delay, and the duration may vary. This is because after the electronic camera captures the violation, the relevant violation information needs to be transmitted to the traffic police management center through a dedicated channel, then summarized and verified by relevant traffic police department staff. Once confirmed as a violation, the system automatically queries the corresponding vehicle owner's phone number based on the license plate information and then sends the violation details via SMS to the owner. After receiving the violation SMS, the vehicle owner must go to the traffic police department where the violation occurred to handle it within one month before the vehicle's annual inspection. Generally, if a vehicle owner suspects a violation, they can use 15 days as a benchmark. If no violation SMS is received beyond 15 days, it is likely that no violation was recorded.
I've been driving for nearly twenty years, and there are several practical ways to check if you've run a red light. The simplest method is to log in to your local traffic bureau's official website or download their official app, then enter your license plate and driver's license number to view all traffic violation records. Pay attention to your mailbox and mobile text messages, as authorities usually notify you of tickets through these channels. I usually install a navigation app like Gaode or Baidu Maps, which alerts you to locations with traffic violation cameras, helping you prevent violations while driving. If you do find a violation after checking, it's best to handle it promptly—fines may not be expensive, but accumulating demerit points can be costly. Another tip is to regularly check your driver's license point balance; fewer points indicate violations. To minimize mistakes, I always wait a few extra seconds after the light turns green before moving—safety first.
