Traffic Signal Rules — Red, Amber, Green
Red means stop. Amber means prepare to stop. Green does not mean go — it means proceed if safe.
At a red light: stop before the stop line. At amber: prepare to stop (do not accelerate). At green: proceed cautiously — green does not guarantee the road is clear.
Penalty Under Law
Red light jumping: ₹1,000–₹5,000 (Sec. 119 MV Act). Repeat: ₹3,000–₹10,000. Licence suspension possible.
Legal Source
MV Act Sec. 119; CMVR Rule 7; IRC:93 (Traffic Signals Manual)
What the Law Says
CMVR Rule 7: No driver shall proceed against a traffic signal. At red: stop completely before the stop line. At amber: slow down and prepare to stop; proceed only if stopping safely is not possible. At green: proceed with caution — the right of way is given but the driver is still obligated to give way to any vehicle already in the junction. Arrow signals: proceed only in the indicated direction.
💡 Why This Rule Exists
Traffic signals manage conflicting traffic streams at intersections — the highest-density collision point on any road. Red-light running is the cause of high-speed T-bone collisions, which are among the most fatal accident types because the side of a vehicle has far less crash protection than the front or rear. Every red-light jump is a gamble with a 50–90 km/h cross-traffic stream.
Key Facts
- 1
Red + Amber together (before green): some countries show this; India does NOT — red means stop until full green.
- 2
The amber phase is 3–5 seconds and is a warning to stop, not a signal to race through.
- 3
Flashing red: treat as a Stop sign — stop, check, proceed.
- 4
Flashing amber: treat as a Give Way sign — slow, check, proceed if safe.
- 5
Turn signals (green arrows): permitted in the indicated direction only.
- 6
Speed cameras at signals in India (Automated Enforcement Systems) use ANPR to issue challans.
⚠️ Common Violations
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Jumping amber — accelerating as the light turns amber to make it before red.
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Creeping over the stop line during red ("inching forward").
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Turning left at red without checking for cross-traffic or pedestrians.
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Blocking the intersection at green and getting stuck in the box junction.
Frequently Asked Questions
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More Traffic Controls Rules
Stop Lines and Box Junctions
At a signal or stop sign, vehicles must halt before (not on, not past) the painted stop line. Crossing into a box junction when the exit is blocked is an offence.
₹500–₹1,000 (Sec
Pedestrian Right of Way
Drivers must stop for pedestrians at zebra crossings. Pedestrians have right of way at all designated crossings. Pedestrian fatalities at crossings are a major category of road deaths in India.
Failure to yield to pedestrian at crossing: ₹500 (Sec
One-Way Street Rules
On one-way roads, all vehicles must travel in the direction shown by the arrow. Entry from the wrong end is dangerous driving. No overtaking from the left — overtake from the right (which is standard flow).
Wrong-way on one-way: Sec
Railway Level Crossing Rules
You must stop at a closed railway gate. At unmanned crossings, you must stop, look both ways, and verify no train is approaching before crossing. The penalty for ignoring a closed gate: ₹1,000 + 1 year imprisonment.
₹1,000 + imprisonment up to 1 year (Railways Act Sec