Amber gambler, red light runner or traffic light warrior? They are all innocuous nicknames but they make light of a serious driving threats.

Going through a red traffic light in your car or any other vehicle is one of the most dangerous driving manoeuvres possible, putting your life and potentially those of others at risk.

It is estimated that a driver runs a red light at most traffic signals once every 20 minutes, which means there are three potentially serious or fatal collisions being risked every hour. While almost every driver will say they think passing through a red light is extremely dangerous and reckless, around a third admit to doing it at some point.

The Facts

The law applies equally to all road users, including cyclists who are among the most numerous offenders for running red lights despite also being one of the most vulnerable road user groups.

Among drivers, it is the young ones and those under the influence of alcohol who are statistically most likely to run a red traffic light. With drunk drivers, it is simply a case of them not being fit to drive, but with young drivers it is often an excess of confidence and not understanding how traffic signals are phased.

Among drivers, it is young drivers and those under the influence of alcohol who are statistically most likely to run a red traffic light

Across Europe, traffic lights all work more or less on the same principle. The sequence is red, red-amber, green, amber. Crucially, it is the single amber light that is the most important warning to drivers.

While a single red is a clear instruction to stop at the indicated line, the sole amber light tells drivers to prepare to stop before the first white line.

You should only drive through an amber light if you have already crossed the stop line or are too close to it when it first appears that it might cause a collision if you tried to stop in time.

The Problem

The problem for many drivers arises from them thinking that an amber light is simply a secondary stage of the green light rather than the first stage of the red light phase. It is not a signal to speed up to get through before the red light appears.

Rather than seeing the amber light at a traffic light stop as an advance warning, they treat it as another bite at nipping through and completing their journey without having to stop.

Combine that with a driver at a neighbouring set of lights who wants to make the fastest getaway, and you could end up with a terrible collision. Nobody wants that on their conscience.

That little burst of excitement to zip through the traffic lights is not so much fun when you consider the implications. It could ruin your driving career and potentially even kill someone.