Traffic light turns yellow: stop or go ahead?

Created: 2022-12-14 04:52

By: Marcus Efler

If you are approaching a yellow traffic light, you should brake.

That's the theory.

In practice, it depends on the situation.

Every driver experiences this again and again: You drive towards a green traffic light, come closer, ask yourself: Can I still make it?

And then the answer.

no

At least not with green.

Because the traffic light system jumps to yellow.

Which, as long as another car doesn't brake in front of you anyway, leads to one of the most important decisions in everyday driving: stop or start?

Traffic light turns yellow: stop or go ahead?

In any case, the legal situation is vague.

Anyone who “does not pay attention to the yellow light, although it would have been possible to brake safely” faces a ten-euro fine.

Worse still, he risks driving into the intersection on red – and not just an accident.

But according to the current catalog of fines, a fine of up to several hundred euros, one or two points in the Flensburg driving aptitude register, and a month's driving ban (which depends, among other things, on the exact time).

Second of decision: traffic light jumps to yellow.

(Iconic image) © dpa/Lilly

In any case, the possibility of "safe braking" in front of the stop line (and really only there) is exactly the crux of the decision.

There is no legal regulation for this, it is a matter of feeling.

The questions and correct answers from the theoretical driver's license test help a little with the classification.

Two different situations with the corresponding questions appear there:

• 1. “You are driving at about 40 km/h.

  About 40 meters in front of you, the traffic light changes from "green" to "yellow".

  How do you behave?” The correct answer is: “Stop”.

• 2. “You're driving at about 40 km/h.

  About 10 meters in front of you, the traffic light changes from "green" to "yellow".

  How do you behave?” The correct answer is: “Continue”.

Both cases are of course clear examples, especially since the picture in the second case also shows a truck that is threateningly jostling from behind.

Safe braking not possible, clear thing.

But what about a distance of 20 meters on a snowy road at 50 km/h?

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Then only the feeling, the famous "seventh sense", can decide.

However, the possibility of "safe braking" is the only criterion that is decisive for the driver - not, for example, the saved driving time or the narrow achievement of an appointment if you just about slip through "dark yellow".

And possibly endangering other road users (e.g. pedestrians at these very special traffic lights).

Traffic light turns yellow: If still possible, please brake

This would also have done away with the "Go-ahead" option.

Because if you even have to step on the gas (or electricity) to avoid a red light violation, you could have easily stopped.

But if you see yellow just before the stop line and continue driving at your normal speed, you have little to fear.

After all, he still has three to five seconds before the traffic light turns red.

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The duration of the yellow light depends on the maximum speed allowed on the road in question: