Question

[Black Owl]

I just finished doing a tech inspection on an alleged brake failure. The driver reported that the vehicle in front of him stopped when the traffic signal turned to amber. When he tried to stop, his brakes failed and he rear ended the truck in front of him.

 

My question has nothing to do with brake failure.

 

Rather, with the traffic laws in your state/province.

 

As a general rule, amber lights are intended to give the traffic already in the intersection time to clear the intersection before the cross traffic signal turns green. So,

 

Are you allowed to proceed INTO an intersection on an amber light?

 

If yes, and you stop on the amber, will you be ticketed for impeding the flow of traffic?

 

Also, if you can proceed into the intersection on an amber, what is the purpose of the amber light?

 

Just idle musings here...

 

 

[Redneck]

My understanding of the law in texas and I would assume nation wide is you must be clear of the intersection when the light turns red. I have never heard of any one being ticketed for stopping at an amber light.

[Yammer Dan]

I hate to but I'll agree with Redneck. You should be out of there before red. Other traffic should not be moving until after yours is red.

[GigaWhiskey]

This thought process seems to be changing. As I have always understood it, if the light turns yellow but you are not in the intersection, you must slow to a stop. If you are in the intersection (front tire/s at a minimum) and the light is yellow, you must clear the intersection. I got out of a ticket about 15 years ago on that argument.

 

With these camera's at intersections, it takes pictures if you are in the intersection when the light is yellow and if you are still trying to clear the intersection when it is red when you were already in the intersection during the yellow period.

 

Guess what, ticket in the mail!

 

That flashing bulb at night is enough to cause an accident, makes me jump.

[Black Owl]

My understanding of the law in texas and I would assume nation wide is you must be clear of the intersection when the light turns red. I have never heard of any one being ticketed for stopping at an amber light.

 

No arguement on that one. But the question is, can you enter the intersection on an amber light?

[Yammer Dan]

What if it turns amber when you are too close to the intersection to avoid slamming on brakes? And getting nailed in the rear!!!

[Owen]

My understanding has always been that you can procede on yellow if you are too close to the intersection to safely stop. I don't believe it has anything to do with clearing the intersection before it turns red. If you are in the intersection when it turns red you get a ticket, if you are not blocked by traffic.

[1BigDog]

As I remember it from some training class many years ago, if the light is yellow it is an indication that its changing to red. It does not mean that you speed up to beat the light, but rather prepare to stop for the red. As a driver, you should be able to make a distinction as to whether you can stop safely. You are supposed to take in the whole picture and respond within seconds. Obviously, if someone is tailgating you, trying to make the light with you, than stopping quickly might not be a good move. It happened to me and I beat a ticket with that argument. But my point being is to always be aware of your surroundings before you make a decision.

[Redneck]

No arguement on that one. But the question is, can you enter the intersection on an amber light?

That would be a yes. For instance you are approaching an intersection at 45 mph 50 feet before you enter the intersection the light changes to amber. There is no way you can stop so you enter and pass through the intersection under the amber light. That is the purpose of the amber to let you know the light is about to turn red. The amber is a warning not a stop light.

[Black Owl]

Now this is interesting...

 

Just pulled up the MN traffic code. This is what it says.

 

Vehicular traffic facing a circular 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 must not enter the intersection, except for the continued movement allowed by any green arrow indication simultaneously exhibited.

 

If that ain't as clear as mud...

 

 

It has always been my understanding that you could not cross the traffic stop line once the turn signal has turned Amber. Surprised to hear that one can be ticketed for getting caught in the intersection when the light turns red. That makes sense though if the function of the amber is to give traffic already in the intersection time to clear before the light turns red.

 

I belive the standard timing for the amber signal is 3 seconds. It can be extended for high traffic speed areas, but never less than 3 seconds.

[stardbog]

If is light turn yellow that mean STOP, Who ever is hit you from behind is in fault, and should get ticket " Following to close" Dont ask me how i know.

[Condor]

No arguement on that one. But the question is, can you enter the intersection on an amber light?

 

Yes in California if it's Amber. No if it's Red. If the guy slammed on the brakes just as it turned amber, it's probably shared negligence. If a light turns amber...we call 'm yellow out here...and you're close (50'-75'+) you should continue on thru the intersection based on your speed. On the other hand the law reads to follow the car in front of you at a safe stopping distance based on your speed. The bike didn't stop safely, and if the brakes were failing there sould have been some sort of an indication they were going. Tough Call...... Good luck.

[Redneck]

Just curious was it a brake failure or driver failure?

[Black Owl]

Actually, in this case it was a car. And the car was equipped with those special Lazarus brakes. Those are the brakes that mysteriously repair themselves after a total brake failure which resulted in an accident.

 

As an aside, it never ceases to amaze me the number of folks who continue to drive their cars after a claimed total brake failure...

[Black Owl]

Just curious was it a brake failure or driver failure?

 

In this instance it was a classic case of DWHUA...

[GigaWhiskey]

If the car has cruise control set, the brakes will not light up on the first depression of the brake pedal. Saw this on CHiPs long ago and tried it, it really did not light up the brakes on the first depression of the brakes - which partially disengages the cruise control.

[Guest Highway]

Hey Black Owl,... Never wrote a citation (politicaly correct) in 32 years for running a yellow light. Here it is a warning of a change in the flow of traffic. You can proceed if, the intersection is clear and it would could cause a possiable loss of control of the vehicle to stop. Tough cookies for the one following behind. Should have kept the distance... Just wondering how many know what DWHUA means. It sure relates to most of our drivers here..

 

 

[az1103]

In California the amber light is called a warning or a caution light it warns you that a red light is about to turn on. You may enter the intersection on an amber but you are supposed to clear it before the red.

But regardless of why the driver in front of you stops. Even if only because he is an idiot-you are still responsible for putting yourself in a position of not being able to stop in tine. In this state if you rear-end someone it's your fault. Period. If you think you can prove otherwise, you will have to do it in court - my guess you would be wasting your time and money.

[Twenty7Delta]

Most drivers here feel a yellow lights means "give 'er, you might not make it and be really late for that very important appt."

 

DWHUA - "driving with head up $%#"

 

I remember and MVC where a young girl rear ended a fellow who stopped for a yellow light. She was standing there, still on the cell phone witnesses said she was on before the impact, coffee splashed all over the inside of the windshield in front of the driver's seat, and telling me that the guy she hit shouldn't have stopped so quick!

[VTirelli]

IN 23 years as a LEO, I never wrote a ticket for goig througha yellow light.

 

Of course, in NY the yellow means 'hurry up its going to red!'

 

If I'm watching a light, I take int consideration how far away from thelight they were when it went to yellow and if they coiuld have stopped in a reasonable manner when it went to red.

 

In a few cases where it went to trial, I never lost because the judge thought I was more than reasonable. Saw a few that were close, but usually gave them the benefit of the doubt if someone was following too closely (of course the tailgater usually got a ticket then....)

 

I wish they had DWHUA as a cause on accident reports LOL

[AKRefugee]

When I learned to drive it was yellow means slow down proceed with caution and prepare to stop. If the tail end of your vehicle was not across the crosswalk (or line of the intersection) on the other side when it turned red you could get a ticket for running a red light. I was also taught that if the light turned yellow before you hit the solid lines associated with the intersection you should stop and that if you were already within the solid line section you were suppose to have enough time to clear the intersection before the red. Been using that as my method and hasn't failed me yet.

[Switch]

Normally, an amber light is to give warning that the light will shortly change to red. If one is too far into the intersection to stop safely, then proceed on. This happened to me on a four lane road with a police car next to me. He stopped and I tried but couldn't. He stayed stopped while I went on my way. If I had stopped I'd have been in the middle of the intersection and apparently he realized that.

Now, this brings up a situation with these cameras at intersections. It seems to be getting the public so tense that if the light changes to amber they slam on the brakes because of the camera. This could potentially lead to rear end collisions as most of the public follows too close to begin with. Any thoughts on that?

[Guest tx2sturgis]

A couple of thoughts. (Disclaimer: number 1. My, arent we bored, and , number 2. Opinions AND facts expressed here)

 

In my earlier days, during all of my commercial driver training, it was explained this way: If you legally enter the intersection, you can legally leave it.

 

This means, that a fully loaded 70 ft long semi entering on green or yellow, going say 25 mph in town, ( and not able to stop in 40 feet or so!) may still have its rear tandems in the intersection when the light goes red. Doesnt matter, the driver entered the intersection legally, so he is legal till he clears the intersection, even if the light, 60 feet behind the driver, now turns red.

 

In 26 years and 2.5 million miles of driving semis, I have NEVER gotten a ticket from this happening. And you can bet, it happens fairly often, and often right in front of the local constabulary. (Luckily, MOST car drivers dont proceed on green if a huge truck is in the way...but some, amazingly do just that!)

 

The same logic applies to cars, bikes, motorhomes, and pickups pulling 5th wheels. The driver can not always know the timing of the yellow light.

 

Speaking of that, yellow light timing is SUPPOSED to be, 1 second of yellow for each 10 mph of the road or street its controlling. So a yellow light on a 40 mph road SHOULD be on for a minimum of 4 seconds. Theoretically. Traffic engineers, city and county governments are of course doing whatever they want, based on traffic, safety, and revenue concerns.

 

 

[Royal Venturer]

qoute from movie Starman by Jeff Bridges playing the role of a alien after watching Debbie Allen drive:

Red light mean stop,

Green light mean go,

Yellow light mean haul ass.

 

[Snarley Bill]

here's the way my favorite traffic light works in mo. if your front wheels cross the white line into the intersection after the light turns red you get your picture taken. i have sat there and watched the timing out of curiosity.it will not take your picture if you are passed the white line when it turns red. the light has to be red before it will trigger the camera. no excuses it gives you every break. i love to see that camera flashing. all most been hit several times at that intersection . now people actually are beginning to stop for the light. they found out how to use their brakes.