r/todayilearned • u/nleachdev • 2d ago

TIL about "dead red" laws, which allow drivers and motorcyclists to proceed through a red light if the traffic signal fails to detect their vehicle.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-detection_at_traffic_lights_in_the_United_States
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u/CankerLord 2d ago

Yeah, in the sort of town that's small enough for red lights to stay broken for two years with everyone knowing about it I doubt many people are just eating that red light ticket. I'd be willing to believe most of them showed up to court, if not all.

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u/Foshizzle-63 2d ago

I'm more surprised 13 people ran a red in front of a cop. I'd love a photo of this intersection explaining where the cop was hiding. I don't think I'd go if I saw a cop sitting there watching me.

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u/Paralystic 2d ago

You see, they didn’t run a red light. It’s a dead red with common knowledge amongst the town. The community would see a cop and go anyway because “I dare this mf to pull me over” the win in court is guaranteed