What are the penalties for running a red light when turning left?
3 Answers
Whether a motor vehicle runs a red light when turning left or going straight, it is considered a traffic violation and will be captured by cameras if present. 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 signal and the straight signal are green, proceeding straight from a left-turn lane violates lane regulations. When the left-turn signal is red, running the red light will result in penalties. Article 2, Section 1, Clause 2 of the "Scoring Standards for Road Traffic Safety Violations" stipulates that driving a motor vehicle in violation of traffic signals will result in a deduction of 6 points. Here are some ways to avoid running a red light: Check the arrow light first, then the circular light: Currently, there are two types of traffic lights: arrow signals and circular signals. If arrow signals are present, drivers should first observe the arrow signal and then the circular signal to avoid running a red light. Note: When encountering a circular red light, right turns are permitted; however, if the right-turn arrow signal is red, right turns are prohibited, and violating this rule will be penalized as running a red light. Brake in time: When the red light turns on, the front of the vehicle should not cross the stop line. If the front wheels accidentally cross, and the rear wheels follow, the electronic camera will capture it, resulting in a penalty for running a red light. If the front wheels have just crossed the stop line when the signal turns red, the vehicle must wait for the green light before proceeding. Check the green light countdown before proceeding: When the green light flashes, if there is a countdown, drivers can judge accordingly; if there is no countdown, vehicles close to the intersection and moving at a higher speed may proceed to avoid running the red light due to delayed braking. If the speed is low and the vehicle is far from the intersection, the driver should brake immediately to avoid running the red light. Article 38 of the "Implementation Regulations of the Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China" states the following for motor vehicle and non-motor vehicle signals: When the green light is on, vehicles are permitted to proceed, but turning vehicles must not obstruct the passage of straight-moving vehicles or pedestrians. When the yellow light is on, vehicles that have already crossed the stop line may continue. 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 obstruct the passage of other vehicles or pedestrians. Running a red light is not considered a violation under the following circumstances: Yielding to emergency vehicles: Yielding to ambulances, fire trucks, or other emergency vehicles. If running a red light is captured due to yielding, manual review will not record the violation. Even if recorded, drivers can apply for reconsideration at the traffic police department. Extreme weather: When visibility is extremely low, making it difficult even for electronic police to discern the traffic signals, the evidence may be unclear, and no penalty will be imposed for mistakenly running the red light. Emergency situations: When transporting a critically ill patient to the hospital, running multiple red lights may occur. After delivering the patient, the driver can provide proof from the hospital or the rescued individual to the traffic police for verification. If confirmed, the violation records will be cleared. If possible, calling an ambulance is recommended to avoid accidents caused by running red lights. Traffic police direction: During peak hours, traffic police may temporarily direct traffic at key intersections. Drivers must follow the gestures of the traffic police.
Last time when I was making a left turn, I accidentally ran a red light and got caught by the traffic camera. The next day, I received a text notification: 6 points deducted plus a 200 yuan fine. Just thinking about it now makes my heart ache, considering we only have 12 points in total for the whole year. Actually, the penalty for running a red light while turning left is exactly the same as going straight through a red light—it mainly depends on the traffic light status at the intersection at that moment. Many drivers tend to misjudge when the yellow light is flashing, thinking they can rush through. Special attention should be paid to intersections with arrow signals—you must wait for the left-turn green light before proceeding. After getting penalized, I even attended a traffic safety course where the instructor particularly emphasized slowing down in advance and observing carefully at intersections, especially when following large vehicles, to maintain a safe distance.
As a seasoned driver with over a decade of experience, I'd like to remind everyone: Running a red light while making a left turn will definitely cost you 6 points and a 200-yuan fine. Nowadays, surveillance cameras at major intersections are all high-definition, capturing even the driver's face with crystal clarity. Once I saw a young guy rushing through a yellow light in the left-turn lane—his rear wheels had just crossed the line when the light turned red, and the electronic police immediately snapped three consecutive photos as evidence. Special attention should be paid to certain tricky spots: for instance, intersections with countdown timers or multi-phase signal groups under overpasses—left-turn red lights at these locations require extra caution. Develop the habit of lifting off the accelerator and preparing to brake about 50 meters before the intersection, rather than slamming on the brakes right at the stop line.
