What To Do If The Traffic Light Is Stuck On Red

Reviewed by

Automotive Features Reviewer at CarParts.com

Written by CarParts.com Research Team - Updated on July 31st, 2024

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Summary

If you find that you’ve been waiting awhile for the red light to change and it hasn’t, it’s possible the light is broken or wasn’t able to detect your vehicle’s presence.
If you’re alone at the red light, try backing up and driving forward over the sensors a few times to get the light to change. Should the sensors still fail to detect your vehicle, try to find an alternate route that circumnavigates the red light.
If there are no alternate routes available and the light remains red despite all other attempts to engage the sensor, you might need to cautiously cross the red light as a last resort. Keep in mind this might result in a ticket if the nearby law enforcement officer is unable to confirm that the light is broken.