Yellow Light Intersection: What Does the Highway Code Say?

Can you cross an intersection with a yellow light or not? Opinions on this aspect are often controversial, so it is good to know what the Highway Code provides in this regard.

Know the rules of the Highway Code it is essential if you do not want to incur penalties which can also be quite heavy. Sometimes these may vary due to updates decided by the government, which can intervene when it wants to put an end to some situations deemed dangerous. And that’s why it’s good to be informed about the rules in force.

One of the most important concerns the behavior to adopt when the traffic light is yellow, an increasingly less frequent situation given that in some realities they have been replaced by roundabouts, which make traffic flow more smoothly. In the city, however, it is easier to find them for this reason it is good to know how to act.

Yellow light: theories are often conflicting

There is no doubt that it is not possible to go through a red light, while instead you can cross an intersection with the green. On the other hand, there may be different opinions on how to deal with yellow: there are those who interpret it as an “invitation” to move and continue the race, while others prefer to be cautious and stop.

As often happens in these cases, any doubts about it can be eliminated by analyzing what the Highway Code says about ita sort of “Bible” on behavior to adopt when travelling.

The interpretation of the yellow light is often conflicting – Photo | Canva – Allaguida.it

However, caution must be exercised knowing full well how widespread the T-reds are, i.e. those cameras used by the Municipalities to identify those who commit an irregularity and fine them. Getting away with it in that case would be next to impossible.

What must be done in order not to make a mistake

Traffic lights are essential in large cities to regulate trafficespecially during peak hours and to avoid misunderstandings about precedence, which instead can happen with roundabouts. However, thinking that yellow can pass freely is a misconceptionor at least not always valid.

The penalty can be avoided in this case only if a particular condition occurs: if you have arrived close to the intersection and stopping can endanger safety of other motorists, especially those coming from behind. It is therefore necessary at this juncture to hurry and free the passage.

Ben different instead it is the situation that is noticed in many situations, that is when from the distance you notice that yellow is about to arrive and you accelerate. This way of acting is certainly dangerous, but it is also contrary to the regulations in force.

The penalty foreseen for passing through yellow is similar to what happens with red: the fine is equal to 167 euro, in addition to the deduction of six points from the license. The amount rises from 22 to 22 euros if the irregularity is committed between 10pm and 7am because the risks may be greater due to poor visibility.