Will Running a Red Light When Turning Left Be 100% Captured?

[DeBarrett]

Whether a motor vehicle runs a red light when turning left or going straight, it is considered a traffic violation and will be captured if there are surveillance cameras. According to the relevant provisions of the Road Traffic Safety Law, vehicles must obey traffic signals, including traffic lights, traffic signs, road markings, and the directions of traffic police. If both the left-turn signal and the straight signal are green, going straight from a left-turn lane violates the designated lane rules. When the left-turn signal is red, running the red light will result in penalties. Article 2, Section 1, Clause 2 of the "Scoring Standards for Road Traffic Safety Violations" stipulates that driving a motor vehicle in violation of traffic signal lights will result in a deduction of 6 points per offense. To avoid running a red light, consider the following points: Check the arrow signal first, then the circular signal: Currently, there are two types of traffic signals: arrow traffic lights and circular traffic lights. When arrow signals are present, check the arrow signal first and then the circular signal to avoid running a red light. Note: When encountering a circular red light, right turns are permitted; however, if the right-turn arrow signal is red, right turns are prohibited, and violations will be penalized as running a red light. Brake in time: When the red light turns on, ensure the front of the vehicle does not cross the stop line. If the front wheels accidentally cross, and the rear wheels follow, the electronic camera will capture the violation, resulting in a penalty 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. Check the remaining green light time before proceeding: When the green light is flashing, if there is a countdown timer, use it to judge whether to proceed. If there is no timer and the vehicle is close to the intersection with high speed, it may proceed to avoid running a red light due to untimely braking. If the speed is low and the vehicle is 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 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. When the red light is on, vehicles are prohibited from proceeding. At intersections without non-motor vehicle or pedestrian crossing signals, 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 a violation under the following circumstances: Yielding to emergency vehicles: Yielding to ambulances, fire trucks, or other emergency vehicles. If a violation is captured by surveillance cameras while yielding, manual review will not record it as running a red light. Even if recorded, you can apply for reconsideration at 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 no penalty will be imposed for mistakenly running a red light. Emergency situations: When transporting a critically ill patient to the hospital, running multiple red lights may be unavoidable. After delivering the patient, provide proof from the hospital or the rescued individual to the traffic police for verification. If confirmed, the violation records can be cleared. If possible, calling an ambulance is recommended 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.

[DanteLynn]

I don't think running a red light when turning left will necessarily be captured 100% of the time—it depends on the specific camera setup and functionality at the intersection. Currently, traffic cameras mainly come in two types: radar sensors and video surveillance. On left-turn lanes at intersections, induction loops may only be installed on straight lanes, resulting in incomplete coverage. Especially during rain or fog, recognition performance deteriorates, often failing to capture details. With over a decade of driving experience, I've encountered several instances in suburban or newly built road sections where left-turn violations weren't captured, mainly because the equipment there was outdated or not fully installed, with cameras positioned too high or facing the wrong direction. However, intersections in city centers have much higher coverage rates. So, don't count on luck—even if running a red light isn't caught on camera, the risk of causing an accident is too high. You might also get caught by on-site police, facing point deductions and fines—it's just not worth it.