Is It Safe If No Notification Is Received Three Days After Running a Red Light?
2 Answers
Not receiving a notification within three days does not mean it's safe. Generally, violations for running a red light can be checked within 3 to 7 days, with the latest being around 13 days. However, some cities now offer "instant electronic police capture alerts," where a text message notification is received within 5-10 minutes of being captured. But a notification does not equate to a violation; it merely serves 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 text message notification will be sent. For violations captured by surveillance cameras, vehicle owners usually do not receive a violation text message immediately. There is a time delay, and the duration may vary. After an electronic camera captures a violation, the relevant violation information needs to be transmitted through a dedicated channel to the traffic police management center, where it is compiled and then verified by the relevant staff of the traffic police department. Once confirmed as a violation, the system automatically retrieves the vehicle owner's phone number based on the license plate information and then sends the violation details via text message to the owner. After receiving the violation text message, the vehicle owner must settle all previous violations within one month before the annual vehicle inspection. Generally, if a vehicle owner suspects a violation, they can use 15 days as a benchmark. If no violation text message is received beyond 15 days, it is likely that no violation was recorded. Traffic Violation Query Methods: Traffic violation queries refer to checking motor vehicle violations of traffic management through online or terminal methods. Methods for querying vehicle violations include website queries, phone queries, text message queries, mobile app queries, and offline terminal queries. Website Query: Search for "vehicle violation query" and enter vehicle information to check. Phone Query: Dial local 114 (area code + 114) or 12580 to confirm traffic violations. Violations can only be processed at the location of the violation or the vehicle's license plate issuance location. For on-site violations, such as those directly caught by traffic police, they must be processed at the violation location. Text Message Query: Open the text message interface on your phone; enter "WZ" followed by the license plate number and color; send the message to 1062650001. Mobile App Query: Open the Traffic Management 12123 app, log in, click on "Vehicle Violations," and enter the vehicle violation query interface. The query results will display recent unprocessed violation records. Offline Terminal Query: Visit the local traffic management hall and use the self-service query machine to enter the license plate number and check recent violation records.
As a veteran driver with decades of experience, I've witnessed countless similar scenarios. Not receiving a notification for running a red light within three days doesn't mean you're in the clear. The traffic violation processing procedure is quite complex—after being captured by cameras, the footage undergoes manual review to confirm license plates and violations. Efficiency varies greatly between cities: metropolises like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen might process within a week, while smaller counties often take two weeks or longer, with possible mail delays. I recall a friend last year who waited over half a month for a ticket, nearly forgetting about the incident. The critical point is that running red lights carries extreme risks, frequently causing accidents or casualties. Even if you luck out this time without being caught, relying on such luck is dangerously reckless. My advice: drive cautiously in daily commutes, come to complete stops at red lights, and never gamble with lives. Patiently wait a few more days for notifications while reflecting on improving safety habits—this demonstrates responsibility to both your family and yourself.
