Is it allowed to pick up or drop off passengers while waiting at a traffic light?
4 Answers
It is not permitted to stop and pick up or drop off passengers at intersections with traffic lights, regardless of whether there are traffic lights or not, as it constitutes a traffic violation. This is because stopping to pick up or drop off passengers is prohibited within 50 meters of an intersection. Here are some additional considerations: When stopping at a red light, if your vehicle is the first in line, it is advisable to maintain a slightly larger distance from the stop line. This ensures that you do not run the red light and provides sufficient space to start moving when the light turns green. If there are already many vehicles waiting in line, it is also recommended to keep a reasonable distance from the vehicle in front. This not only ensures safety (preventing the vehicle in front from rolling back when starting) but also allows ample time and distance to observe the movements of the vehicles ahead, ensuring a smooth start.
I've been driving on the road for over a decade and have personally witnessed many people letting passengers on or off while waiting at red lights, which is actually very dangerous and illegal. Intersections are already high-risk areas for accidents—suddenly opening a car door might hit an electric scooter coming from behind or get sideswiped by a turning truck. Last time on Chang'an Avenue, I saw someone knocked down by a red-light-running electric tricycle while getting out of the car. Traffic regulations clearly prohibit stopping to pick up or drop off passengers within 50 meters of an intersection, with penalties of 3 demerit points and a 200-yuan fine if caught by surveillance cameras. If you really need to make an impromptu stop, it's better to communicate in advance and pull over in a safe spot, even if it means taking a slight detour—it's far safer than taking the risk.
When taking kids out, I pay special attention to safety during getting in and out of the car, especially not letting them run around at red lights. The blind spots in traffic are large, and a child getting out might be blocked by a bus in the next lane, making it too late for the driver to brake when they finally see them. Moreover, traffic lights change quickly; if a child just gets out as the light turns green, it can cause the vehicle behind to brake suddenly and lead to a rear-end collision. I teach my child to wait until the car is parked in a safe area before getting out, such as at the entrance of the residential area or in a parking lot. Brief stops at intersections are only for emergencies, and one should never take safety lightly for the sake of convenience.
Last week, I was driving a friend to catch the high-speed train. At the intersection of Chaoyang Road, he insisted on getting out of the car while we were stopped at a red light. As soon as he opened the door, he was stopped by a traffic officer and fined 100 yuan. The officer explained that stopping at a red light counts as temporary parking, and picking up or dropping off passengers is illegal and will be automatically captured by traffic cameras. Later, I checked the traffic regulations and found that picking up or dropping off passengers at intersections or within marked grid areas is considered a violation, even if the engine is still running. Now I've learned my lesson—I'd rather drop passengers off two kilometers early and let them walk than risk getting a ticket.
