What are the penalties for running a red light when turning right?
2 Answers
According to the relevant regulations of the "Road Traffic Management Regulations of the People's Republic of China": In the absence of special traffic instructions (such as traffic signs or police instructions), motor vehicles can turn right when encountering a red light, which is not considered a red-light violation. If there is a traffic sign indicating that right turns are prohibited when the red light is on, motor vehicles cannot turn right when encountering a red light. Note: At intersections with signs prohibiting right turns when the red light is on, vehicles must stop. Turning right in such cases is equivalent to running a red light, and driving a motor vehicle in violation of traffic signal lights will result in a 6-point deduction. According to Article 40 of the "Implementation Regulations of the Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China": Lane signal lights indicate: When the green arrow light is on, vehicles in this lane are permitted to proceed in the indicated direction; when the red cross light or arrow light is on, vehicles in this lane are prohibited from proceeding. Article 41: Directional signal lights with arrows pointing left, up, or right indicate left turns, straight ahead, and right turns, respectively. If it is an arrow light, you cannot turn right when the red light is on; if it is a full-screen light, you can generally turn right when the red light is on. According to Article 38 of the "Road Traffic Safety Law Implementation Regulations": When the red light is on, right-turning vehicles may proceed if they do not hinder the passage of released vehicles or pedestrians. To determine whether a vehicle has run a red light, electronic eyes need to capture three photos: the front wheels crossing the stop line, the rear wheels crossing the stop line, and the front wheels crossing the opposite stop line. If the right-turn signal light is a red arrow, the vehicle should stop within the stop line and wait for the green light before proceeding. Turning right when the right-turn arrow is red is considered running a red light. If the right-turn signal light is not a red arrow, turning right is allowed. When encountering a full-screen red light, the following situations must be noted; otherwise, a 6-point deduction may apply. Special instructions prohibit right turns when the red light is on: If there is an auxiliary sign next to the full-screen light stating "Right turns prohibited when the red light is on" or a sign prohibiting right turns, even if it is a full-screen red light, right turns are not allowed. Otherwise, it will be treated as running a red light, resulting in a 6-point deduction. Yielding to pedestrians when turning right: Although right turns are allowed with a full-screen light, always remember to yield to pedestrians. Otherwise, a fine and a 3-point deduction will apply. Right turns are not allowed from straight lanes: Right turns must be made from the right-turn lane or a lane that allows both straight and right turns. Turning right from a straight lane is considered driving in the wrong lane, resulting in a 2-point deduction.
I once accidentally ran a red light while making a right turn and was immediately caught by an electronic surveillance camera. I was fined 200 yuan and had 6 demerit points deducted from my driving record, which was really painful. Driving in Chinese cities, such penalties are quite common. Traffic regulations stipulate that running a red light results in a 6-point deduction, with fines varying between 100 to 200 yuan depending on the locality. Don’t think right turns are easy—never take the risk when there’s a red arrow or a no-turn sign. I remember one time my annual insurance premium even increased because more demerit points led to a higher insurance rate. Now I’ve learned my lesson—I slow down and double-check the traffic signal every time I make a right turn, especially avoiding rushing through intersections during peak hours to prevent accidents or pedestrian injuries. Developing this habit has made driving much less stressful, as safety always comes first.
