Is it possible to run a red light without being caught?
3 Answers
If there are cameras, they will take photos. Running a red light, whether turning left or going straight, is a violation of traffic laws. According to the relevant provisions of the Road Traffic Safety Law, vehicles must obey traffic signals, including traffic lights, traffic signs, road markings, and the directions of traffic police. If both the left-turn light and the straight light are green, going straight from the left-turn lane is not allowed. When the left-turn lane is red, running the red light should be penalized. Here are some ways to avoid running a red light: First look at the arrow light, then the circular light: Currently, there are two types of traffic lights: arrow traffic lights and circular traffic lights. If there is an arrow light, look at the arrow light first and then the circular light to avoid running a red light. Note: When encountering a circular red light, you can turn right; when encountering an arrow signal light, if the right-turn arrow is red, you cannot turn right, otherwise, you will be penalized for running a red light. Brake in time: When the red light turns on, do not let the front of the vehicle cross the stop line. If the front wheels accidentally cross, and the rear wheels follow, the electronic camera will definitely capture it, and you will be penalized for running a red light. If the front wheels have just crossed the stop line when the light turns red, do not proceed through the intersection; wait for the green light before moving. Check the green light countdown before proceeding: When the green light is flashing, if there is a countdown, judge accordingly; if there is no countdown, and the vehicle is close to the intersection with high speed, you can proceed to avoid running a red light due to untimely braking. If the speed is slow and the vehicle is far from the intersection, brake immediately to 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: When the green light is on, vehicles are allowed to proceed, but turning vehicles must not hinder 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 signals, non-motor vehicles and pedestrians should follow the motor vehicle signals. When the red light is on, right-turning vehicles may proceed if they do not hinder 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 caught 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 very low, and even electronic police cannot clearly see the traffic lights. Photos of violations may be blurry, and if you accidentally run a red light, the traffic police will not impose penalties. Emergency situations: When rushing a critically ill patient to the hospital, you may run many red lights. After delivering the patient, provide proof from the hospital or the rescued person to the traffic police for verification. If confirmed, the violation records can be cleared. If possible, it's best to call an ambulance to avoid accidents caused by running red lights. Traffic police direction: During peak hours, traffic police may temporarily direct traffic at important intersections. Drivers should follow the gestures of the traffic police. The traffic police department states that according to the Regulations for the Implementation of the Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China, when the yellow light is flashing at an intersection, vehicles that have already crossed the stop line may continue to proceed. If you rush through when the yellow light is already on, it will still be considered running a red light if caught.
I've been driving for over a decade, and I've occasionally heard about cases where people ran red lights without being caught on camera, such as when cameras temporarily malfunction or are under maintenance, rendering them inoperable. Although urban camera systems are advanced, they're not 100% reliable—damaged induction loops or power outages can sometimes result in missed captures. In suburban or older urban intersections, the equipment tends to be outdated, leading to incomplete coverage. However, the risks are enormous. Even if there's no photo evidence, the probability of accidents is high, so I wouldn't dare take the risk. Obeying traffic signals is the safest choice because life is far more important than fines. Camera technology is continuously improving, making it harder to evade detection in the future.
From a technical perspective, red light cameras rely on sensing devices such as magnetic induction loops or radar. If these are interfered with or malfunction, the system may fail, making it possible to avoid being captured. Weather conditions like heavy rain or haze can also affect detection accuracy. However, in practice, the failure rate is low, as camera systems have high coverage across multiple areas, especially in large cities with 24/7 surveillance. When you run a red light, the backend has timing and recording systems, so even if the camera temporarily fails, you might still be caught once it recovers. Even if you're lucky enough to avoid being captured this time, there's no guarantee next time. Safe driving is always the best practice.
