Can You Run A Stoplight If It’s Stuck On Red?

If you're at a stoplight and it's stuck on red, can you go?

This happened to me the other day. I was sitting at a stoplight. It was red for several minutes. I thought it was stuck. I tried backing up and going over the sensor again, but that didn't help. On the other side of the intersection, a car came. The light still didn't change. There was no cross traffic coming, so that driver decided to run the light. I wasn't comfortable doing that, so I waited a little longer. I finally just turned right, which was permitted there.

What do you do if that happens? Can you go through it?

According to auto.howstuffworks.com,

"If you decide you've waited long enough (and you're sure there aren't any other vehicles around), you can chance it and run the red light. But be aware: If you decide to be this daring, you can be pulled over and cited by an officer. If that happens, your best chance is to explain what happened; the officer may check out the light himself and see that you're correct. Or he may find that you were impatient and write up that ticket anyway."

Looks like I made the right decision. Knowing my luck, I would be the one that gets the ticket.

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