Is it legal to run a yellow light?

clickynext

Platinum Member
Dec 24, 2004
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Are there any clearcut laws about this? I've been under the impression that if I enter the intersection without speeding during a yellow light, I am doing nothing wrong. I've heard some other things, like it's completely illegal to enter while it's yellow, or that it depends on whether you are able to stop safely, but that's a subjective judgement.
 

PurdueRy

Lifer
Nov 12, 2004
13,837
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I believe a yellow is technically "Stop if it is safe to, otherwise proceed" Therefore, you could get ticketed. However, this is just what I remember, could be wrong.
 

BigJ

Lifer
Nov 18, 2001
21,330
1
81
If you approach a yellow light at an intersection, you are supposed to stop if it is safe to do so.

If you're going to fast to stop, proceed to go through the yellow light. However, you may still get a ticket. If the light turns from yellow to red while you are in the intersection, you will be charged with running a red light. This is because the lights are supposed to be timed where the yellow light is long enough to allow any cars close to or in the intersection time to pass through.
 

TheoPetro

Banned
Nov 30, 2004
3,499
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Originally posted by: BigJ
If you approach a yellow light at an intersection, you are supposed to stop if it is safe to do so.

If you're going to fast to stop, proceed to go through the yellow light. However, you may still get a ticket. If the light turns from yellow to red while you are in the intersection, you will be charged with running a red light. This is because the lights are supposed to be timed where the yellow light is long enough to allow any cars close to or in the intersection time to pass through.

thats assuming cars moving at the legal speed limit. how many of us actually do that. and you know you get ~3 sec of time between your light turning red and theirs turning green
 

BigJ

Lifer
Nov 18, 2001
21,330
1
81
Originally posted by: TheoPetro
Originally posted by: BigJ
If you approach a yellow light at an intersection, you are supposed to stop if it is safe to do so.

If you're going to fast to stop, proceed to go through the yellow light. However, you may still get a ticket. If the light turns from yellow to red while you are in the intersection, you will be charged with running a red light. This is because the lights are supposed to be timed where the yellow light is long enough to allow any cars close to or in the intersection time to pass through.

thats assuming cars moving at the legal speed limit. how many of us actually do that. and you know you get ~3 sec of time between your light turning red and theirs turning green

And this is the type of thinking that gets people killed.
 

OrganizedChaos

Diamond Member
Apr 21, 2002
4,524
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here in mass the law basicly says "stop if safe to do so".

1) go through yellow light with nothing behind you and plenty of room to stop- supposedly ticketable but never heard of anyone actually getting one
2) slam on brakes and get rearended by a semi- again supposedly ticketable but the cop won't bother because the insurance companies consider the semi negligent.
 

TheoPetro

Banned
Nov 30, 2004
3,499
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Originally posted by: BigJ
Originally posted by: TheoPetro
Originally posted by: BigJ
If you approach a yellow light at an intersection, you are supposed to stop if it is safe to do so.

If you're going to fast to stop, proceed to go through the yellow light. However, you may still get a ticket. If the light turns from yellow to red while you are in the intersection, you will be charged with running a red light. This is because the lights are supposed to be timed where the yellow light is long enough to allow any cars close to or in the intersection time to pass through.

thats assuming cars moving at the legal speed limit. how many of us actually do that. and you know you get ~3 sec of time between your light turning red and theirs turning green

And this is the type of thinking that gets people killed.

ya youre prob right
 

PowerMacG5

Diamond Member
Apr 14, 2002
7,701
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Originally posted by: TheoPetro
green = go
yellow = go faster
red = GET THE HELL OUT OF THE INTERSECTION!

Boo, its supposed to be:

Green means go, yellow means go faster, and red means OH SH1T!!!!
 

Conky

Lifer
May 9, 2001
10,709
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You should slow down for intersections regardless of the light color. If it turns yellow as you come up on it, then stop. Run enough red lights and you will cry one way or another.

 

clickynext

Platinum Member
Dec 24, 2004
2,583
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So basically the law and consequences are not clear or consistent.

Just wondering because today I went through an a big intersection on yellow because I would have had to brake hard to stop, but the car turning left on the other side started turning while I was coming and the light was yellow. I had to swerve to avoid them because by the time I saw them start to move it was too late to stop. I guess if I hit them the fault would probably fall on me.
 

BigJ

Lifer
Nov 18, 2001
21,330
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Originally posted by: clickynext
So basically the law and consequences are not clear or consistent.

Just wondering because today I went through an a big intersection on yellow because I would have had to brake hard to stop, but the car turning left on the other side started turning while I was coming and the light was yellow. I had to swerve to avoid them because by the time I saw them start to move it was too late to stop. I guess if I hit them the fault would probably fall on me.

The law not clear? Did you read what I posted?
 

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
8
81
No, it is not.

It is illegal, however, to be in the intersection when the light turns red. It's a judgement call on your part.

If you see the yellow and can stop, you're supposed to.
 

HaxorNubcake

Golden Member
Jun 23, 2004
1,983
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Originally posted by: Eli
No, it is not.

It is illegal, however, to be in the intersection when the light turns red. It's a judgement call on your part.

If you see the yellow and can stop, you're supposed to.

hmm not in Arizona.
As long as a nanometer of your front bumper is in the intersection (meaning past the curb line) before the light goes from yellow to red, you're in the clear. If the people that just got a green light decided to go forward and hit you, they would be at fault, because it is illegal to enter an intersection when it is not clear.

Heard this straight from cops/traffic instructors a few days ago.
 
Feb 19, 2001
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Ok there's a clearly written RULE.

It's not just about the light turning red when you're in the intersection. THAT IS LEGAL.

I guess it varies state to state. I'm from CA, but the rule is if your FRONT TIRES cross the SECOND WHITE LINE (meaning the line of the crosswalk closest to the middle of the intersection) before the light turns RED, then it is a LEGITIMATE crossing. You are not charged with running a red light.

This is why red light cameras have to show your front tires across the white line.

Edit: After reading the post above.. yea it does vary state to state, and this was also taken from traffic school that my friend attended just 1 yr ago.
 

HaxorNubcake

Golden Member
Jun 23, 2004
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Originally posted by: DLeRium
Ok there's a RULE ok.

It's not just about the light turning red when you're in the intersection. THAT IS LEGAL.

I guess it varies state to state. I'm from CA, but the rule is if your FRONT TIRES cross the SECOND WHITE LINE (meaning the line of the crosswalk closest to the middle of the intersection) before the light turns RED, then it is a LEGITIMATE crossing. You are not charged with running a red light.

This is why red light cameras have to show your front tires across the white line.

same goes in arizona. (see above post :))
 

Rubycon

Madame President
Aug 10, 2005
17,768
485
126
Yellow light means change i.e. the light is changing from green to red or red to green etc.

Most people will indeed stomp the gas if they're a few lengths from the stop line when they see a yellow.

The cameras are more "fair" than a cop as they will not snap unless you are BEHIND that line when the yellow goes red. A lot of cops will tend to go after someone that's halfway through the intersection when the light turns red. (remember the scene in Blues Brothers?)

Elwood: What? What did I do?
Cop: You failed to stop at a red signal.
Elwood: The light was yellow, sir!
Cop: May I see your licence please?

Then the bomb is dropped!

:laugh:

EDIT:

They really should not mess with the folks on a mission from God! :laugh:

Look at all that cereal. That's a cereal crash! :laugh:
 

Tom

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
13,293
1
76
Originally posted by: DLeRium
Ok there's a clearly written RULE.

It's not just about the light turning red when you're in the intersection. THAT IS LEGAL.

I guess it varies state to state. I'm from CA, but the rule is if your FRONT TIRES cross the SECOND WHITE LINE (meaning the line of the crosswalk closest to the middle of the intersection) before the light turns RED, then it is a LEGITIMATE crossing. You are not charged with running a red light.

This is why red light cameras have to show your front tires across the white line.

Edit: After reading the post above.. yea it does vary state to state, and this was also taken from traffic school that my friend attended just 1 yr ago.


I find that extremely hard to believe.

edit- AS I EXPECTED..

"Do not enter the intersection if you cannot get completely across before the light turns red."

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/hdbk/pgs16thru17.htm
 

OdiN

Banned
Mar 1, 2000
16,430
3
0
Originally posted by: Tom
Originally posted by: DLeRium
Ok there's a clearly written RULE.

It's not just about the light turning red when you're in the intersection. THAT IS LEGAL.

I guess it varies state to state. I'm from CA, but the rule is if your FRONT TIRES cross the SECOND WHITE LINE (meaning the line of the crosswalk closest to the middle of the intersection) before the light turns RED, then it is a LEGITIMATE crossing. You are not charged with running a red light.

This is why red light cameras have to show your front tires across the white line.

Edit: After reading the post above.. yea it does vary state to state, and this was also taken from traffic school that my friend attended just 1 yr ago.


I find that extremely hard to believe.

edit- AS I EXPECTED..

"Do not enter the intersection if you cannot get completely across before the light turns red."

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/hdbk/pgs16thru17.htm

That's just from a handbook, not the actual california vehicle code.

Here's all I can find in the actual vehicle code:

Vehicle Code


Circular Yellow or Yellow Arrow

21452. (a) A driver facing a steady circular yellow or yellow arrow signal is, by that signal, warned that the related green movement is ending or that a red indication will be shown immediately thereafter.

(b) A pedestrian facing a steady circular yellow or a yellow arrow signal, unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian control signal as provided in Section 21456, is, by that signal, warned that there is insufficient time to cross the roadway and shall not enter the roadway.
Amended Ch. 256, Stats. 1986. Effective January 1, 1987.


So it is left rather vague unless there is another section which covers this.
 

Jzero

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
18,834
1
0
I hate yellow lights. The decision as to whether it is safe to enter the intersection is left to the driver, but the enforcement is up to a third party who cannot possibly know whether the driver honestly felt that he could either make it through in time or could not safely stop in time.

You can maybe spot flagrant offenders flooring it when the light turns yellow, but most of the time there's no way an onlooking policeman could ever tell if you were following the vague laws.
 

KarenMarie

Elite Member
Sep 20, 2003
14,372
6
81
depends on the speed you are going when the light turns yellow. If you are a safe distance/speed to stop, you must do so. If you are too close to the light, going to fast to stop safely... without getting cornholed or ending up in the middle of the intersection... you are supposed to go.

edit: I like the traffic lights in the UK.
Green to yellow
Yellow to red
Red to yellow
yellow to green.
 

Tom

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
13,293
1
76
Traffic lights aren't installed with random time intervals for the green-yellow-red cycle. The length of time the light stays yellow is carefully calibrated to allow a vehicle that is too close to stop, time to get through the intersection before the red light comes on.

The vast vast majority of the time, the reason a person gets a red light ticket, is because they didn't want to be delayed by the light, so they don't stop, even though they easily could stop.

Anyone who drives much will see these drivers often enough, I saw a young driver the other day, I'm sure he thinks he's a great driver, who did exaclty what I described, the light was red for more than a second before he even got to the intersection.

 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
If you are in the intersection at all then you ran a red light.

So sure you can "run" a yellow light. As long as you are through the intersection before it turns red. Doesn't matter what you entered it as.

But in KY there is a neat thing. If you are turning left and are in the intersection and the light turns red, you have right of way to clear the intersection and complete your turn. So technically you are allowed to run a red light.
 

FoBoT

No Lifer
Apr 30, 2001
63,084
14
81
fobot.com
http://public.findlaw.com/traffic-ticket-violation-law/state-traffic-law/

for missouri

(2) Steady yellow indication

(a) Vehicular traffic facing a steady yellow signal is thereby warned that the related green movement is being terminated or that a red indication will be exhibited immediately thereafter when vehicular traffic shall not enter the intersection;

(b) Pedestrians facing a steady yellow signal, unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian control signal as provided in section 304.291, are thereby advised that there is insufficient time to cross the roadway before a red indication is shown and no pedestrian shall then start to cross the roadway.
so there you go

:confused: