Should You Run the Yellow Light at the Last Second?

[LeJayce]

Crossing the stop line at the last second of a yellow light does not count as running a red light. Below is relevant information about traffic signals: Definition of Running a Red Light: Running a red light refers to the act of a motor vehicle violating the traffic signal by crossing the stop line and continuing to drive when the red light is on and prohibits passage. To determine if a vehicle has run a red light, three photos are used as evidence: one before the vehicle crosses the line, one after crossing the line, and one when entering the intersection. Traffic police authorities state that according to regulations, vehicles that have already crossed the stop line when the yellow light is flashing at an intersection may continue to proceed. Purpose of the Yellow Light: In fact, there was no yellow light in the early days, only red and green lights. The introduction of the yellow light primarily serves as a warning (including alert, reminder, and prompt) and a transition, reminding people that the light is about to turn red, prompting them to slow down and stop, giving motor vehicle drivers some preparation time to avoid running a red light.

[Gonzalez]

This is a dilemma I often face. Having driven for over a decade, I've encountered countless last-second yellow light situations. My advice is don't risk running it - a yellow light is a warning signal, and the safest approach is to slow down and stop in advance. Many intersection cameras are extremely sensitive; even if your wheels cross the line just as it turns red, you could get ticketed. Last year, a friend got fined 200 yuan with 6 penalty points for rushing a yellow light - definitely not worth it. More importantly, running yellows is extremely dangerous. Intersections have many blind spots, and sudden appearances of electric bikes or pedestrians leave no time to react. Rather than nervously timing the light, develop good habits: ease off the gas and cover the brake when you're 50 meters from the intersection.

[MacReagan]

As a commuter who spends two hours on the road every day, I deeply understand this dilemma. When the yellow light comes on, it mainly depends on your speed and distance: if you're going over 60 km/h and less than ten meters from the stop line, slamming the brakes might actually cause a rear-end collision, so you have no choice but to proceed; but if there's enough buffer distance, I'll stomp on the brakes even at the last second. Many places now enforce fines for running yellow lights—if your rear wheels cross the line when the light turns red, it's considered a violation. Last week, I saw a case where the driver's front wheels had just crossed the line as the yellow light ended, but the surveillance showed the signal changed to red within a 0.3-second gap, and they still got fined. My advice? Install a dash cam—if you're wrongly penalized, you'll have evidence to appeal.

[MacMila]

Driving instructors teach a key principle: A yellow light is not a signal to accelerate but a warning to stop. From a traffic regulation perspective, vehicles that have not crossed the line when the yellow light comes on must stop, and continuing to drive is equivalent to running a red light. The electronic capture system uses three photos as evidence: whether the front wheels cross the line during the yellow light, whether the rear wheels cross the line during the red light, and whether the vehicle has completely passed through the intersection. Some cities do capture images at the moment the yellow light turns red, especially with new intelligent traffic systems. Last week, I specifically observed the traffic lights at the company intersection, and the duration of the yellow light was about 3 seconds, enough to complete a safe stop. It is recommended to anticipate in advance and slow down when you see the green light flashing.