What to Do If You Accidentally Run a Red Light?
3 Answers
According to Article 2, Section 1, Clause 2 of the 'Scoring Standards for Road Traffic Safety Violations,' driving a motor vehicle in violation of traffic signal lights will result in a deduction of 6 points. Running a red light refers to the act of a motor vehicle violating the prohibition of passage during the red light phase at a signal-controlled intersection or road section, crossing the stop line and continuing to drive. According to Article 26 of the 'Road Traffic Safety Law': Traffic signal lights consist of red, green, and yellow lights. A red light indicates prohibition of passage, a green light indicates permission to proceed, and a yellow light serves as a warning. Article 44 states that motor vehicles passing through intersections must proceed in accordance with traffic signal lights, traffic signs, road markings, or the instructions of traffic police. Based on the following points, you can avoid running a red light: First, look at the arrow light, then the circular light: Currently, there are two types of indicator lights: arrow traffic lights and circular indicator traffic lights. When arrow lights are present, first observe the arrow light and then the circular light to avoid running a red light. Note: When encountering a circular red light, you may turn right; when encountering an arrow signal light with a red right-turn arrow, you must not turn right, otherwise, 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 signal turns red, do not proceed through the intersection; wait for the green light before continuing. Check the green light countdown before proceeding: When the green light is flashing, if there is a countdown, use it to judge whether to proceed. If there is no countdown and your vehicle is close to the intersection with high speed, you may proceed to avoid running a red light due to delayed braking. If your speed is slow and you are far from the intersection, brake immediately to stop and 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 the following for motor vehicle and non-motor vehicle signal lights: 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 to proceed. When the red light is on, vehicles are prohibited from proceeding. At intersections without non-motor vehicle or pedestrian crossing signal lights, non-motor vehicles and pedestrians must follow the motor vehicle signal lights. 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 illegal under the following circumstances: Yielding to emergency vehicles: Yielding to ambulances, fire trucks, or other emergency vehicles. If you are captured by surveillance cameras while yielding to such vehicles, manual review will not record the act of running a red light. 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 blurry, and the traffic police will not penalize you for mistakenly running a red light. Emergency situations: When transporting a critically ill patient to the hospital, you may run multiple red lights, and 12 points may not be enough. After delivering the patient, provide proof from the hospital or the person being assisted to the traffic police for verification. If confirmed, the violation records can be cleared. If possible, it is best to call an ambulance to avoid accidents caused by running red lights. Traffic police direction: During peak hours, traffic police may temporarily direct traffic at major intersections. Drivers must follow the gestures of the traffic police.
I just ran a red light last week and it really gave me a cold sweat. It was raining and I was following too closely—the car in front accelerated through, and by the time I saw the light turn red, it was too late to brake. In such situations, never think about reversing back; it’s even more dangerous! Just continue driving after confirming it’s safe. Generally, traffic cameras require three photos to confirm running a red light: front wheels crossing the line, rear wheels crossing the line, and entering the opposite intersection. If you stop immediately after crossing the line, it might not count as a violation. However, some cities now use smart capture systems that snap a photo as soon as your vehicle crosses the line. I recommend checking the 12123 app after a week—if you don’t receive a notice, you’re likely in the clear. Next time it rains, remember to slow down early and leave enough distance. The fine would feel like such a waste of money!
Once I was driving long-distance late at night and dozed off, accidentally running a red light in a daze. In such situations, the first thing is to steady the steering wheel and stay calm, then check the rearview mirror for any oncoming traffic. Since you've already run the light, definitely don't stop in the middle of the road and block traffic! When you get home, immediately check the dashcam footage to confirm if you actually ran the red light. If you find that the front wheels crossed the line while the light was still yellow, you can appeal at the traffic police station. If caught on camera, a 6-point penalty and 200 RMB fine are unavoidable. Nowadays, you can even review violation videos on the 12123 app, so I recommend installing a navigation system with traffic light alerts. The biggest danger when driving at night is lack of concentration—keeping some mints handy to stay alert works quite well.
