What to do when one side of the traffic light is broken while the other side is normal?
2 Answers
If the traffic light doesn't change for more than 20 minutes, it's malfunctioning. First check if there are any traffic police or temporary traffic signals nearby. If not, you can proceed directly. It's best to record the situation with your dashcam or mobile phone camera, otherwise you might be penalized for traffic violations if caught. Being extra cautious never hurts. When passing through in such situations, be sure to yield to pedestrians, as traffic accidents can easily occur otherwise.
I just encountered this situation the day before yesterday. I was driving through an intersection when I noticed the green light on my side was on, but the traffic lights on the opposite side were completely out. I immediately reduced my speed to around 20 km/h, constantly scanning both sides. After all, a green light doesn't guarantee absolute safety—if an oncoming driver misjudged and rushed out, it could be disastrous. My back was tense the whole time crossing the intersection, and I didn't ease off the accelerator until I was completely through. Later, a traffic police friend told me that such malfunctions should be treated as an un-signalized intersection, giving priority to vehicles from the right. If the red light isn't displaying, it's even more complicated—you must stop at the stop line, observe carefully, and then proceed. In such cases, it's best to immediately record video evidence and call 122 to report the issue for repairs, just to be safe.
