You got a ticket for running a red. Here's why that yellow light might have seemed short

Muzammil Hussain May 26, 2026

Traffic lights are seen over a wide city street.

The engineers behind those yellow lights — including the ones that seem painfully short — say a lot of science goes into how traffic lights are programmed. But they also account for the different ways drivers respond at intersections.

The engineers behind those yellow lights — including the ones that seem painfully short — say a lot of science goes into how traffic lights are programmed. But they also account for the different ways drivers respond at intersections. Traffic lights are seen over a wide city street.

The engineers behind those yellow lights — including the ones that seem painfully short — say a lot of science goes into how traffic lights are programmed. But they also account for the different ways drivers respond at intersections.