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Running yellow lights and red lights are common traffic violations. To learn about the fines for running yellow lights and red lights, you can refer here.
Information about fines for running yellow lights and red lights
1. Road users must obey traffic light signals.
2. Penalties for running red lights and yellow lights.
3. Some questions related to violations of running red lights and yellow lights.
1. Road users must obey traffic light signals
According to the Road Traffic Law of 2008, road users must obey traffic light signals. Traffic light signals consist of 03 colors:
- Green light: Vehicles are allowed to proceed;
- Red light: Vehicles are not allowed to proceed;
- Yellow light: Vehicles must stop before the stop line. If already past the stop line, vehicles are permitted to proceed. In the case of a flashing yellow light, vehicles are allowed to proceed, but they must reduce speed, observe, and yield to pedestrians crossing the road.
Therefore, individuals riding motorcycles, driving cars, or any other types of vehicles, as well as pedestrians crossing red lights or yellow lights, are engaging in behavior that violates traffic signal commands.
2. Penalties for Running Red Lights and Yellow Lights
The act of running red lights or yellow lights, as mentioned in Decree 100/2019/ND-CP and Decree 123/2021/ND-CP, generally refers to the behavior of 'not obeying traffic signal commands.'
The penalties for running red lights or yellow lights for traffic participants are outlined in the following table:
It can be observed that the new penalties for running red lights or yellow lights as stipulated in Decree 123/2021/ND-CP, effective from 01/01/2022, have increased compared to the previous levels. Citizens should pay attention while participating in traffic to avoid being fined for these offenses.
- Reference: Penalties for Not Giving Way to Priority Vehicles
3. Some questions related to running red lights or yellow lights
3.1 Is it allowed to turn right on a red light?
According to the Road Traffic Law 2008, when the traffic light is red, vehicles are not allowed to proceed. However, in some cases, vehicles can still turn right on a red light if:
- There is a supplementary sign allowing right turns. Typically, the sign has a blue background with white text. For example: 'RIGHT TURN ON RED PERMITTED', 'MOTORCYCLES, BICYCLES, RED LIGHT RIGHT TURNS PERMITTED'.
- There is a directive from traffic police or other traffic controllers permitting right turns.
- There is a priority signal light.
- This priority signal light is green for right turns and is installed alongside the traffic light.
- The light features an arrow symbol. When the light turns green, vehicles are allowed to turn right according to the signal, but must still yield to other vehicles coming from the permitted direction.
- There are road markings permitting right turns.
Typically, these are dashed lines in a circle, accompanied by a right-turn arrow. When encountering these road markings, vehicles are allowed to turn right even if the traffic light is red.
3.2 Will I be fined for not moving on a green light?
According to Article 3, Section 10 of the Road Traffic Law 2008, when the traffic light is green, vehicles are permitted to proceed. This also means that the vehicle operator, in the case of a red light, has the right to allow the vehicle to move, but it's not mandatory to 'move.'
Therefore, not moving on a green light does not violate road traffic regulations.
However, if a vehicle doesn't move on a green light and obstructs traffic, affecting vehicles behind, it constitutes a violation of road traffic regulations and is subject to fines for stopping or parking that obstructs traffic.
3.3 When are you allowed to run a red light?
In the following cases, traffic participants can run a red light without being fined:
- According to the directive of the traffic controller
Based on Article 11 of the Road Traffic Law and Section 4.1 of Circular 41:2019/MOT, in cases where there are both traffic signal lights and directives from traffic controllers, the directives of the traffic controllers shall be followed.
That's why in cases where the light is red but the traffic controller allows passage, vehicles are permitted to run the red light without being fined.
- Priority vehicles: firefighting vehicles on duty, ambulance, military vehicles, police vehicles on urgent duty...
According to Article 22 of the Road Traffic Law 2008, these priority vehicles are allowed to run red lights.
- Obeying traffic signals or supplementary signs allowing continuation of travel
In cases where there are traffic signals or supplementary signs allowing passage, road users are permitted to turn or proceed straight even if the light is red.
- In the following special circumstances:
+ In emergency situations;
+ For legitimate defense;
+ Due to unforeseen events;
+ Due to irresistible events;
Individuals committing violations lack administrative responsibility; individuals committing administrative violations are under 14 years of age.
Above is the information regarding penalties for running red lights and yellow lights that we provide. Road users need to adhere to traffic signal lights to avoid administrative fines.
