Am I allowed to drive through a yellow traffic light?

Nobody wants to wait at traffic lights. The temptation is therefore great to quickly drive through a yellow traffic light before it changes to red. But is that allowed?

Wait at the red traffic light or still drive when it is yellow?

Usually you can no longer via a yellow traffic light drive. According to StVO § 37 you have to wait for the next sign before the crossing. However, there is one exception: If you can no longer come to a stop at the stop line without emergency braking, you can drive through the yellow traffic light. If you would be in danger as a result of a braking manoeuvre, for example a rear-end collision, you remain unpunished. However, if this is not the case, you will be fined 10 euros if the traffic light switches from green to yellow. If the light changes from red to yellow, the fine is slightly higher at 15 euros.

Only a few traffic lights flash you when you cross the yellow stop line. After all, the speed camera cannot assess what the situation is and whether driving was not allowed due to an exceptional situation.

What happens if someone hits me at the yellow traffic light?

Do you stop at a yellow traffic light and Hintermann drives you up, because he didn’t expect this or didn’t keep a sufficient safety distance, it’s not your fault. It looks different if you suddenly brake hard, but only comes to a halt after the stop line. If an accident occurs, you are the culprit. Therefore, always assume that the driver in front of you will not take the risk and will stop. Also consider the safety distance and drive with foresight.

How long is the yellow phase of the traffic light?

How long a traffic light is yellow after the green phase varies depending on the speed limit. In the table we have illustrated the duration for you. The purpose of extending the yellow phase is to ensure you have enough time to react and stop. For example, at a speed of 50 km/h, you cover 40 meters in those 3 seconds. You should come to a stop within these 40 meters. If you keep accelerating instead, you’re more likely to run a red light. In extreme cases you can expect a Fine of up to 360 euros, 2 points in Flensburg and one month driving ban.

Will we soon no longer have to drive ourselves? This is the current status of “autonomous driving”: