The Third General Judicial Court ruled that passing a yellow traffic signal constitutes a violation. A Russian newspaper report notes that a Murmansk resident who ran a yellow light and caused an accident sought leniency from the court. The individual was fined one thousand rubles for the offense.
The case materials state that the administrative offense was captured by a specialized technical device with a built-in camera, which operated automatically to record the incident.
Following review, the third appellate court upheld the Murmansk resident’s conviction, affirming the decision as lawful. The ruling implies that officials and drivers across jurisdictions should align their practices with this interpretation of the law.
Automobile experts described the court’s ruling as justified, emphasizing accountability for disobeying traffic rules at controlled intersections.
A parliamentary lawyer commented that there is a legal provision allowing jaywalking only in emergency situations, while editor-in-chief of Avtodor radio, Sergei Smirnov, noted the necessity of distinguishing urgent circumstances from routine driving decisions.
Smirnov added that, in the absence of an emergency, proving that a driver lacked the opportunity to stop when a prohibitory yellow signal appears before an intersection is very challenging.
It is noteworthy that prior to this decision, the Supreme Court had repeatedly supported the practice of deterring drivers who run yellow lights through related rulings.
Earlier reports described a minibus carrying passengers that ran through the intersection in Krasnogorsk, where the vehicle reportedly lost control and wheels were damaged during the maneuver.