Red Light and Stop Sign Tickets in Kansas

Read about Kansas’s red light and stop sign laws and the consequences of a violation.

If you get caught running a stop sign or red light in Kansas, you'll typically be looking at a fine. (Though you may other ways of resolving your ticket that don't involve paying a fine.) This article gives an overview of what the law prohibits and some of the specific consequences of a stop sign or red light violation.

Making the Stop

At a red light (solid or flashing) or stop sign, motorists must make a complete stop prior to reaching a clearly marked stop line or entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection. And if there is no stop line or crosswalk, the driver needs to stop before entering the intersection itself.

Right-On-Red Rule

Kansas law allows motorists to make a right turn after stopping at a red light, so long as there's no sign indicating the turn is prohibited. However, drivers must use caution and follow right-of-way rules when making a right on red.

Left-on-Red Rule

In Kansas, a motorist can do a left turn after stopping at a red light only from a one-way street onto another one-way street. Of course, motorists need to follow the normal right-of-way rules and proceed with caution when making the turn.

Meaning of a Yellow Light

In some states, it's illegal to enter an intersection on a yellow light. However, in Kansas, a steady yellow light is just a warning that the light is about to turn red. In other words, you're allowed to enter an intersection while the light is still yellow, just not after it turns red.

Red Light Cameras

Unlike a number of other states, Kansas doesn't use automated cameras at intersections to catch red light violators.

Special Rules for Motorcycles and Bicyclists

Some signals use technologies that detect when cars are stopped at the light. Signals that use these technologies will switch from red to green only when a vehicle is detected. Motorcycles and bicycles are sometimes too small or light to trigger a signal to switch. In other words, the light doesn't know they're sitting there waiting. When this happens, Kansas law permits persons using one of these modes of transportation to proceed through the red light. However, when doing so, the person must yield the right-of-way to other vehicles and pedestrians so as to avoid creating a dangerous situation.

Penalties

Generally, a motorist who's convicted of a stop sign or light violation will have to pay a fine of $75, plus court costs. However, fines sometimes vary by jurisdiction.

In certain circumstances, a red light or stop sign violation could also result in a reckless driving conviction. And if one of these violations leads to the death of another person, vehicular homicide charges are another possibility.

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