Will Running a Red Light with Temporary License Plates Be Captured?
3 Answers
If there are surveillance cameras, the violation will be captured. According to Article 90 of the Road Traffic Safety Law, running a red light will result in a warning or a fine of 200 yuan, along with 6 penalty points. Temporary license plates are paper permits allowing vehicles to operate temporarily on roads. Traffic violation penalties are not related to whether the vehicle has temporary or permanent license plates but are imposed based on the illegal driving behavior. To determine a red light violation, at least three pieces of photographic evidence are required: the vehicle has not left the stop line when the red light is on; the vehicle passes through the intersection when the red light is on; the vehicle has crossed the line and continues to move forward when the red light is on. Article 26 of the Road Traffic Safety Law states: Traffic signals consist of red, green, and yellow lights. A red light indicates prohibition of passage, a green light indicates permission to pass, and a yellow light serves as a warning. Article 44: When motor vehicles pass through intersections, they should follow the instructions of traffic signals, traffic signs, traffic markings, or traffic police. Ways to avoid running a red light: When there are arrow signals, follow the arrow lights; otherwise, follow the circular lights; When the red light is on, the front of the vehicle must not cross the stop line; When the yellow light is on, the front of the vehicle must not cross the stop line; When the green light just starts flashing, if you are close and moving fast, you should proceed, as you might not be able to stop in time and cross the stop line; if you are far away, moving slowly, or the intersection is congested, you should stop; When driving in the city, develop the habit of looking for traffic lights whenever you see a crosswalk or stop line and approach an intersection.
I've been driving for over 20 years and have seen many vehicles with temporary license plates. People often ask whether running red lights will be captured by cameras. To be honest, with today's advanced technology, the high-definition cameras can clearly read letters and numbers on paper, and license plates are recorded instantly once photographed. Traffic police can retrieve the data from their backend system and contact the vehicle management office to trace it back to you. Some people think temporary plates are hard to track and take chances, but they still end up with fines and demerit points. Once, I helped a friend deal with a traffic violation—he ran a red light with temporary plates and got caught, costing him money and causing unnecessary trouble. In short, drive steadily and don't gamble with luck; safety is more important than anything else.
When I was a newbie, I also wondered about this, worrying that running a red light with temporary plates wouldn't be recorded. Later, I asked experienced drivers and learned that cameras don't care if the plate is paper or metal—they'll snap any violation. The data gets sent to the system, and they'll track you down by checking vehicle registration. If something bad happens, hurting others would be terrible. I suggest new drivers pay extra attention to traffic lights, take it slow, and don't rush. The cost of violations is high—fines and points are minor, but staying safe is the real blessing.
