yellow lights, rush or brake

arleitiss

Hey, having this question: if say you drive at 40 km/h speed and you are around 15 metres from traffic lights which just turned yellow would you speed up and rush through or apply brakes asap? I always rush as i heard examiners really hate harsh and not smooth braking and if i apply brakes in this situation i end up being thrown forward a bit. What do you do? How do examiners rate this?

onemorechance

http://www.rulesoftheroad.ie/rules-for-driving/speed-limits/speed-limits_stopping-distances-cars.html

cedan

My rule of thumb is to always go for the safer option....obvious as that might sound!

If it's going to cause an accident to try to stop in time push on a little bit if necessary. If a car is following behind not paying attention to the lights it could easily cause an accident.

I think the rules of the road say something about if you are approaching a set of lights that have been amber for a while to reduce speed etc.

In the case you mentioned, travelling at a relatively high speed and lights just after turning amber, i'd push through because no way would you be able to react, brake and stop safely in time.

im invisible

I wouldnt speed up or slow down, tbh

**Timbuk2**

You need to anticipate that lights have been green for a while may turn amber soon. Ideally this means not arriving at the lights at a speed that will mean jamming on the brakes if they turn amber - but you need to have a balance, you can't approach the lights too slow, as not only will you be marked for progress, it also may result in you not making a green light you would have otherwise made (and also the people behind you!).

It's something you'll just get used to over time, but what I like to do is mentally visualise a point just before the lights, where if I am before that point and the lights turn amber, I will stop, and if I am after that point, I will continue if the lights go amber.

That's good advice from the poster above who said to go with the safer option! Generally, if you have time to speed up to make the lights, you have time to slow down, so definitely don't speed up to make the lights in your test. If it is unsafe to stop, just maintain your speed and go through the junction.

Always check your mirrors approaching lights so you get an idea of what is behind you, in the eventuality that you'll have to stop.

mathepac

Obey the simple rules of the road.

An Amber light is a stop light. It instructs you to stop, unless stopping is unsafe. It is an offence to drive through a stop light.

If you have this simple fact imprinted in your driving brain you can't go wrong.

ADIDriving

In the exact situation you mentioned, you should continue through at the same speed.
In general, amber lights mean stop if it is safe to do so. This means if you can stop in a controlled manner before the line and people behind you can stop comfortably before the back of you, then you should stop. Otherwise, maintain your speed. Remember, all traffic lights do is change colour, so be prepared and expect this.