St. Louis Car Accidents at Red Lights and Stop Signs

No matter who you are, brushing up on traffic laws is always a good idea.

Though many St. Louis residents think they understand intersections perfectly, many of them would fail if you gave them a test on the subject. The reason is that there are a few confusing intricacies that many don’t fully understand. Here is what you need to know about driving through red lights and stop signs.

When to Stop

Four traffic features require you to stop: Stop signs, red lights, flashing red lights, and traffic lights that are off. When doing so, make sure you come to a complete stop before starting again. Just slowing down to a low speed and then starting up again is not sufficient. While stop signs and red lights are straightforward, many drivers do not know how to act when a stop light flashes red or turns off. In these situations, you treat the intersection as if it were a four-way stop sign.

Right on Red

Though this law varies from state to state, Missouri allows drivers to turn right on red lights. When you do this, make sure that no other cars are coming down the road. If they are, wait for them to pass because they have the right of way. The one exception to the right on red rule is when there is a sign indicating that you cannot turn. If there is, follow that sign over the general guideline.

Left on Red

Some states allow this kind of turn, but Missouri is not one of them. If you are turning left at an intersection, you must wait until your light is green before entering.

Yellow Lights

When you are heading towards an intersection and see a yellow light, that serves as a warning of the red light coming soon. The law indicates that in these situations, you are allowed to enter the intersection as long as the light is still yellow. One thing to note, though, is that last second entries are often both unsafe and misinterpreted by police officers. For these reasons, you should always lean towards stopping over driving through a yellow light.

Bicyclists and Motorcyclists

Under some circumstances, cyclists are allowed to run a red light. What they must do to make it legal is come to a complete stop, wait for an ample amount of time, determine that the light is not sensing them, and safely enter the intersection when there is no cross traffic.