Along with speeding and stop sign violations, one of the most common citations traffic cops issue is for red light violations. And many states now use automated cameras at intersections to catch red light violators. Here is some general information about state laws governing traffic signals, possible defenses to red-light tickets, and common penalties for red light violations.
Traffic Signal Laws
Traffic signal laws are fairly uniform across the states. Of course, a green light means drivers are free to proceed. But with red lights and yellow lights, state laws vary somewhat.
Meaning of a Red Light
When approaching a red signal, drivers are required to come to a stop before reaching the nearest of a marked limit line, a crosswalk, or the intersection itself. Drivers generally must stay put at a red light until the light turns to green.
However, drivers can typically turn left onto a one-way street or turn right after first making a complete stop at a red signal so long as there’s no sign prohibiting the turn. New York State is a notable exception, where turns on red are illegal in cities with populations that exceed one million (New York City is actually the only one that qualifies).
Meaning of a Yellow or an Amber Signal
In most states, a yellow or an amber light is just a warning that the light is about to turn red. In other words, a yellow light doesn’t require drivers to stop. And as long as the vehicle’s front wheels cross the limit line while the light is still yellow, the driver can lawfully continue to cross the intersection even though the light has turned red.
But in a handful of states—including Oregon, Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey, and Wisconsin—drivers are required to stop when approaching a yellow signal unless it’s unsafe to do so. So, in these states, drivers can be ticketed for running a yellow or red light.
Fighting a Red Light Ticket
How you’d go about fighting a red light ticket depends on whether the ticket was issued by an officer or an automated red-light camera system.
Red Light Camera Tickets
With red light camera tickets, there are typically photos and a video of the driver running the light. So, it can be difficult to successfully argue you didn’t run the light. But most jurisdictions allow vehicle owners (the person who will actually receive the ticket in the mail) to establish a defense by submitting an affidavit or other evidence showing that someone else was driving the vehicle at the time of the violation.
Officer-Issued Red Light Tickets
With officer-issued tickets, on the other hand, the officer will normally testify to witnessing the driver run the light. In most cases, the driver coming into court and saying, “no, I didn’t run the light,” isn’t going to convince the judge. To have any chance of success, a defense to a red light ticket would generally need to focus on the officer’s perception of the situation. In other words, the driver argues that the officer was unable to accurately seeing whether the light turned red before the front wheels of the vehicle crossed the limit line. This type of defense is more likely to succeed if the officer was positioned in a way that would have made it difficult to see the light change and the front of the vehicle simultaneously.
Consequences of a Red Light Ticket
In most states, a red light violation is a traffic infraction. So, a red light ticket will generally result in fines but no jail time. Fine amounts vary significantly by jurisdiction. However, fines typically range from about $50 to $500. Some states increase the fine amount depending on how many prior violations the driver has that occurred within the past year or so.
Most states also consider a red light ticket a “moving violation”—meaning a red light conviction will result in the DMV assessing demerit points to the driver’s record.
In states that have red light cameras, it’s often the case that red light camera tickets carry lower fines than officer-issued tickets. It’s also common for states to impose points only for officer-issued tickets.