What Constitutes Running a Red Light?
5 Answers
It is determined by capturing three photos with electronic cameras: a photo of the vehicle crossing the intersection stop line, including the traffic light showing red and the license plate number; a photo of the vehicle completely crossing the stop line, including the traffic light showing red and the license plate number; and a photo showing the vehicle continuing to move, comparing the vehicle's position changes, including the traffic light showing red and the license plate number. Capturing these three photos confirms the vehicle ran a red light. Running a red light is clearly defined in the "Road Traffic Safety Law." Article 26 states that traffic signals consist of red, green, and yellow lights. A red light indicates prohibition of passage, a green light permits passage, and a yellow light serves as a warning. A red light is a traffic signal prohibiting passage, and if a vehicle crosses the intersection during a red light, it constitutes the traffic violation of running a red light. Here are some tips to avoid running a red light: Check the arrow light first, then the circular light: Currently, there are two types of traffic lights: arrow traffic lights and circular traffic lights. When an arrow light is present, check 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; but if the right-turn arrow light is red, you cannot turn right, or you will be penalized for running a red light. Brake in time: When the red light turns on, do not let the front of your vehicle cross the stop line. If the front wheels accidentally cross, and the rear wheels follow, the electronic camera will 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. Check the green light countdown before proceeding: When the green light flashes, if there is a countdown, use it to judge whether to proceed. If there is no countdown, and you are close to the intersection with high speed, you may proceed to avoid running a red light due to untimely braking. If your speed is slow and you are 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 permitted to pass, 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 pass. When the red light is on, vehicles are prohibited from passing. At intersections without non-motorized vehicle or pedestrian traffic signals, non-motorized vehicles and pedestrians should follow the motor vehicle traffic signals. When the red light is on, right-turning vehicles may pass 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 captured by surveillance cameras while yielding, the violation will not be recorded during manual review. Even if recorded, you can apply for reconsideration with the traffic police department. Extreme weather: When visibility is so low that even electronic police cannot clearly see the traffic lights, the evidence of violation may be blurred, and no penalty will be imposed for mistakenly running a red light. Emergency situations: When rushing a critically ill patient to the hospital, running multiple red lights may occur. After delivering the patient, 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, call an ambulance to avoid accidents caused by running red lights. Traffic police direction: During rush hours, traffic police may temporarily direct traffic at key intersections. Drivers should follow the traffic police's gestures.
Running a red light depends on the complete process of the vehicle's position change. Simply put, if your entire vehicle has crossed the stop line when the red light turns on, you're likely caught. Nowadays, traffic cameras use three photos as evidence: the first shows the vehicle hasn't crossed the line during the red light, the second captures the vehicle moving in the middle of the intersection, and the third shows the vehicle reaching the opposite side of the intersection. I once encountered a case where the driver braked immediately after the front wheels touched the line—technically not running a red light, but it could still be recorded as crossing the line and result in a penalty. Be especially cautious when following buses, as it's easy to accidentally run a red light. Always check the traffic light status when approaching an intersection. Accelerating through a flashing yellow light is particularly risky.
Based on my observations of traffic law enforcement, there are three key actions to determine running a red light. First, at the moment the red light turns on, check whether your wheels have crossed or are pressing against the stop line. Next, observe if the vehicle continues to move forward. Finally, see if it has completely passed through the intersection. A common misjudgment occurs when traffic is congested at the intersection—drivers follow the car in front and end up stopping in the middle of the intersection when the light turns red. Although this doesn’t count as running a red light, it qualifies as 'blocking the intersection' and is still punishable. Additionally, some left-turn lanes have independent signal lights, and many drivers fail to notice the red arrow and proceed with the turn, which also counts as running a red light.
Nowadays, electronic eyes use a combination of induction loops and cameras to capture violations. When a vehicle presses on the induction zone before the stop line during a red light, it triggers a photo. Interestingly, enforcement varies by location: cities like Shenzhen are more lenient towards vehicles whose wheels touch the line but stop in time, while Beijing may penalize drivers as long as the rear wheels cross the line. Here’s a lesser-known fact: there’s a 3-second buffer period when the light changes from green to red—crossing the stop line during this time isn’t considered a violation. Still, the safest approach is to slow down in advance, especially on rainy days when slippery roads make braking harder.
Here's a real-life experience: I almost ran a red light at an unfamiliar city intersection once. The left-turn signal in the second lane suddenly turned red while the straight-through signal remained green, and I nearly followed the car ahead through. Let me teach you how to identify three types of special traffic signals: arrow signals, full-screen signals, and countdown signals. Always focus on the signal color corresponding to your lane. If your rear wheels cross the line after the light turns red, the safest move is to brake immediately and stay put—continuing to move would confirm the violation. When directed by a traffic officer on site, always follow their hand signals, a point many tend to overlook.
