{"id":376,"date":"2020-04-12T23:38:02","date_gmt":"2020-04-12T23:38:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/driversedguru.com\/?p=376"},"modified":"2020-04-20T07:44:50","modified_gmt":"2020-04-20T07:44:50","slug":"what-to-do-when-the-light-turns-yellow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/driversedguru.com\/driving-articles\/drivers-ed-extras\/what-to-do-when-the-light-turns-yellow\/","title":{"rendered":"What to do when the light turns yellow?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\nThe answer is simple: STOP. According to the law, every driver has to stop at a yellow light unless he or she is too close to the intersection to stop safely. So, how do you define \u201ctoo close\u201d to the intersection?<\/p>\n

The point of no return<\/h1>\n

One rule of thumb is that if you are 100 feet or less from the intersection, you have passed the \u201cpoint of no return\u201d and cannot stop safely before the intersection. Therefore, it is best to continue at your current speed through the intersection, but be cautious as you pass through.<\/p>\n

Another rule of thumb involves a little math as well as an understanding of braking<\/a>. Let\u2019s explore the following situation: You\u2019re driving at 30mph and the traffic light turns yellow. You\u2019re approximately 125 feet from the intersection. Have you reached the point of no return?<\/p>\n

Here comes the math: It\u2019s going to take you (a seasoned driver) approximately 1.5 seconds to recognize the need to brake and to begin applying the brake. Your car will travel 66 feet during those 1.5 seconds. Once the brake is applied, it will take your car another 43 feet to stop. Therefore, your total stopping distance is 109 feet. Therefore, you have not yet reached the point of no return and you should stop.<\/p>\n

Obviously, you can\u2019t perform that kind of math while driving. So, as you approach an intersection, you need to pick out a reference point along the side of the road that will represent the point of no return. So, if the traffic light turns yellow, you can instantly make the decision to continue or to stop.<\/p>\n

Be aware of cars behind you<\/h1>\n

As a good driver, you should always know if you\u2019re being tailgated. As you approach an intersection, use your brakes to get a tailgater to back off a little bit. You don\u2019t want them to slam into you if you must stop quickly at a yellow light.<\/p>\n

The higher the speed limit, the longer the yellow light<\/h1>\n

Based upon the math we were doing earlier, it would make sense for yellow lights to last longer if the posted speed limits are higher. A common rule of thumb is that for every 10 miles per hour of speed, the yellow light will last 1 second longer. However, don\u2019t count on this. You should always err on the side of safety. If you run a red light, a police officer is not going to care that you crossed the point of no return. His response will be that you clearly need to work on determining its location.<\/p>\n

Green = go. Red = stop. Yellow does not equal \u201cgun it\u201d!<\/h1>\n

Many drivers see a yellow light and start driving like they stole something. Don\u2019t do that. Remember, if you\u2019re crossing into an intersection and the light becomes red, you\u2019re breaking the law. You\u2019re also creating a dangerous situation for cross traffic.<\/p>\n

When teaching your teenager how to safely negotiate an intersection controlled by a traffic signal, consider the speed at which you are traveling as well as the distance between your car and the intersection. If you\u2019re following other cars, it\u2019s a good idea to use cover braking in case the traffic light turns yellow and you need to stop.<\/p>\n

Running a red light is incredibly dangerous<\/h1>\n

Although the purpose of this article is how to determine the point of no return, it\u2019s worthwhile to mention (again) how you should always err on the side of safety. Think about it: If your light is red, that means someone else\u2019s light is green. You\u2019re basically playing chicken (or, more accurately, Frogger) with a 3,000 lb missile. What I\u2019m saying is simple: If you\u2019re within the vicinity of your point of no return, stop.<\/p>\n

Okay, you\u2019re invincible. But, is it worth the ticket?<\/h1>\n

Many new drivers, due to their age, are invincible. As we all know, teenagers are immortal. They\u2019re also the smartest of all humans. Therefore, my arguments regarding danger are, admittedly, irrelevant.<\/p>\n

However, teenagers are not independently wealthy. Nor are they immune to tickets and jail. So, is running the red light worth getting the ticket? As you are well aware, many municipalities across the United States have started to install red light cameras. These cameras take pictures when the signal switches from yellow to red in order to catch red light runners. Shortly thereafter, the red light runner receives a ticket in the mail.<\/p>\n

I hope that the next time you see a yellow traffic light, you don\u2019t think about this article. Rather, I hope you simply stop and enjoy the rest of your drive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Even experienced drivers have been known to make the wrong decision at yellow lights. How do you decide what to do when you approach a yellow light?","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n