What Are the Causes of Red and Yellow Light Accidents?

Traffic lights weren’t just made to annoy people. They’re there to keep order at intersections where cars, trucks, bikes, and people all want to cross

16:45 01 October 2025

Traffic lights weren’t just made to annoy people. They’re there to keep order at intersections where cars, trucks, bikes, and people all want to cross at the same time.

• Red light: This one’s simple. Stop. Wait until it’s green.
• Yellow light: This is where things get tricky. It’s not “speed up.” It’s a warning that the light is about to turn red. But lots of drivers don’t treat it like that.

The science behind it is simple: red and yellow lights act as control points. But the real issue is not the light itself; it’s human behavior. People interpret yellow lights differently. Some slam the brakes. Some floor the gas. That’s why red and yellow light accidents are so common.

Red Light Crashes

Red light crashes happen when people just don’t stop. Sometimes it’s because they’re distracted, sometimes they think they can sneak through, and sometimes they’re just being reckless.

Red light crashes are extra dangerous because:

• Cross-traffic already has the green and is moving fast.
• Side-impact collisions (like T-bones) are common, and those hit the car right where people sit.
• Pedestrians might be walking legally, and they get hit, too.

This is why red light running causes so many deaths every year.

Yellow Light Crashes

Yellow lights are supposed to help drivers slow down. But instead, they cause confusion.

• Some drivers slam on the brakes suddenly, and rear-end crashes happen as a result.
• Others hit the gas and misjudge, and then they enter when it’s already red.
• Some think they’ll make it across but don’t; cross-traffic hits them.

A yellow light crash is almost always about judgment. The driver thought they had time, but they were wrong.

Common Causes of Red and Yellow Light Accidents

Here are the top reasons why these accidents happen:

Speeding Up at a Yellow Light

This is probably the number one mistake. A yellow light is not a race signal. But many drivers think they have to beat the red light.

They push the gas, and then they enter the intersection just as other cars are starting to move. That’s when you get T-bone crashes or even head-on hits.

Running a Red Light

Some people just ignore red lights. Maybe they’re in a hurry, maybe they’re distracted, maybe they just don’t care.

Red-light running is actually one of the top causes of fatal crashes at intersections.Other cars are already moving fast through the green, and then, side-impact collisions. Pedestrians and cyclists are also in great danger here.

Distracted Driving

At an intersection, even one second of distraction can be the difference between stopping safely and blasting through a red. Distracted drivers often don’t even hit the brakes. That makes the crash worse, because the impact happens at full speed.

Misjudging the Yellow

Sometimes drivers aren’t reckless, just wrong. They think they have enough time to cross on a yellow, but they miscalculate. They either slam on the brakes at the last second (which causes rear-end crashes) or they roll into the intersection as the cross traffic moves. Either way, bad news.

Left-Turn and Right-Turn Mistakes

Turns cause tons of accidents, too. A driver turning left may think they can beat oncoming cars, but they can’t.

A driver turning right on red may forget to check for bikes or pedestrians. These are simple judgment errors, but at intersections, mistakes cost lives.

Aggressive Driving and Road Rage

Some people just don’t like waiting. They tailgate, speed, and weave, and when they get to a light, they see red as a challenge. Aggressive drivers often try to make it through no matter what.

That attitude leads straight to red and yellow light accidents.

Malfunctioning Traffic Signals

Not all accidents are the driver’s fault. Sometimes the lights themselves fail. Maybe the yellow is too short, maybe both directions turn green, or maybe the signal gets stuck.

When signals break, drivers get confused, and confusion at an intersection equals danger.