Red Light and Stop Sign Tickets in Massachusetts

Read about Massachusetts’s red light and stop sign laws and the costs of a violation.

If you get caught running a stop sign or red light in Massachusetts, you'll typically be looking at a fine and points on your driving record. (However, there may be other options for dealing with your traffic citation.)This article gives an overview of what the law prohibits and some of the consequences of a stop sign or red light violation.

Making the Stop

At a red light (solid or flashing) or a stop sign, motorists must come to a complete stop prior to the nearest of reaching a marked stop line, entering the crosswalk at the near side of the intersection, or entering the intersection.

Right-On-Red Rule

Massachusetts law allows motorists to make a right turn after stopping at a red light unless there's a sign indicating the turn is prohibited. But drivers must use caution and follow right-of-way rules when making a right on red.

Left-on-Red Rule

Unlike some other states, Massachusetts doesn't allow drivers to make a left turn at a red light.

Meaning of a Yellow Light

In most states, a motorist is free to enter an intersection when the signal shows yellow. However, Massachusetts law requires drivers to stop at yellow lights unless they're so close to the intersection when the light switches to yellow that it's unsafe to stop.

Points and Costs of a Ticket

Depending on the circumstances, a red light or stop sign violation can run the driver anywhere from about $40 to $155.

A stop sign or red light conviction will also add two points to a motorist's driving record.

In certain situations, a stop sign or red light violation could also lead to a reckless or negligent operation conviction. And if a motorist runs a light or stop sign and kills someone, homicide-by-motor-vehicle charges are a possibility.

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