56Stopping for a red traffic light or arrow

56 Stopping for a red traffic light or arrow

(1) A driver approaching or at traffic lights showing a red traffic light must stop: (a) if there is a stop line at or near the traffic lights—as near as practicable to, but before reaching, the stop line; or (b) if there is a stop here on red signal sign at or near the traffic lights, but no stop line—as near as practicable to, but before reaching, the sign; or (c) if there is no stop line or stop here on red signal sign at or near the traffic lights—as near as practicable to, but before reaching, the nearest or only traffic lights; and must not proceed past the stop line, stop here on red signal sign or nearest or only traffic lights (as the case may be) until the traffic lights show a green or flashing yellow traffic light or no traffic light.

Offence provision.

Note: Red traffic light and stop line are defined in the dictionary.

Note: Example for subrule (1)(b)

Note: In this example the driver may go straight ahead, or turn right or left, if there is a green traffic light showing at 1. However, the driver must not go beyond the stop here on red signal sign at 2 if there is a red traffic light showing on the road the driver is entering (see 2 and 3).

(1A) However, if the traffic lights are at an intersection with a left turn on red after stopping sign and the driver is turning left at the intersection, the driver may turn left after stopping.

Note: Rule 62 deals with the give way rules applying to a driver turning left at an intersection after stopping at a left turn on red after stopping sign.

(2) A driver approaching or at traffic arrows showing a red traffic arrow who is turning in the direction indicated by the arrow must stop: (a) if there is a stop line at or near the traffic arrows—as near as practicable to, but before reaching, the stop line; or (b) if there is a stop here on red arrow sign at or near the traffic arrows, but no stop line—as near as practicable to, but before reaching, the sign; or (c) if there is no stop line or stop here on red arrow sign at or near the traffic arrows—as near as practicable to, but before reaching, the nearest or only traffic arrows; and must not proceed past the stop line, stop here on red arrow sign or nearest or only traffic arrows (as the case may be) until the traffic arrows show a green or flashing yellow traffic arrow or no traffic arrow.

Offence provision.

Note 1: Red traffic arrow is defined in the dictionary.

Note 2: This rule only applies to a driver turning left using a slip lane if the red traffic light or red traffic arrow applies to the slip lane—see Part 20, Divisions 2 and 3, especially rules 330 and 345.

Note 3: Rule 58 deals with when a driver does not have to stop for a red traffic light.

Note 4: The driver of a tram or a public bus does not have to stop at traffic lights showing a red traffic light if a white T light (for trams) or a white B light (for public buses) is also showing, or a white traffic arrow is showing and the driver is turning in the direction indicated by the arrow—see rules 278 and 285.

Note for diagrams: There is another permitted version of the stop here on red signal sign—see the diagram in Schedule 3.