Will I Get Penalized If I Stop After Running a Red Light at a Crosswalk?
1 Answers
Yes, you will be penalized. If you stop on the crosswalk without proceeding further, it is not considered running a red light but rather overstepping the stop line. According to Article 80 of the "Road Traffic Safety Violation Scoring Standards": If a motor vehicle driver violates traffic signal rules by overstepping the stop line while waiting, they will be fined between 20 and 200 yuan and receive a 2-point penalty. 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 prohibits passage, a green light permits passage, and a yellow light serves as a warning. Running a red light occurs when a vehicle proceeds through an intersection while the signal is red, constituting a traffic violation. Running a red light specifically refers to when a vehicle, while behind the stop line, continues to move forward despite the signal being red, resulting in both front and rear wheels crossing the stop line. This is determined by capturing three photos via electronic surveillance: 1. A photo of the vehicle crossing the intersection stop line, showing the red light and license plate number. 2. A photo of the vehicle completely past the stop line, showing the red light and license plate number. 3. A photo of the vehicle continuing to move, comparing its position to confirm movement, showing the red light and license plate number. Capturing these three photos confirms the act of running a red light. Running a red light is not considered a violation under the following circumstances: Extreme weather: If visibility is so low that even electronic surveillance cannot clearly identify the traffic light, resulting in blurred evidence, no penalty will be issued for mistakenly running the red light. Emergency situations: If a citizen transports a critically ill patient, they can present hospital documentation or proof from the person assisted to the traffic police for verification. If confirmed, the violation record will be cleared. However, it is advisable to call an ambulance when possible to avoid accidents caused by running a red light. Police direction: During peak hours, traffic police may temporarily direct traffic at major intersections. Drivers must follow the officers' hand signals. Yielding to emergency vehicles: Giving way to ambulances, fire trucks, or other emergency vehicles may result in surveillance capturing a violation. However, during manual review, running the red light will not be recorded. Even if recorded, drivers can appeal to the traffic police department.
