Emergency vehicles, red lights and red light cameras.

[Tom-P]

When I was in Tennessee (Knoxville) my friend often did this.

Right turn on red is completely standard throughout the US. (Except of course where a sign says otherwise or right turns have separate lights.) It's the junction norm.

[Kingstepper]

Right turn on red is completely standard throughout the US. (Except of course where a sign says otherwise or right turns have separate lights.) It's the junction norm.

Not so in NYC.

[Mr Curta]

Yeah, Canada has odd exceptions too.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turn_on_red

[Pitfitter]

I did a performance driving course with a advanced police instructor as lead, at junctions -with/without light-he impressed on me to come to halt alwayshinking ‘TnT’ meaning when I stop I should see tarmac under and the rear tyres of the vehicle in front, this allows room for manoeuvre if you need to make room for an emergency vehicle or get round a stalled /stopped motor in front, makes sense, I know there will be howls of ‘ can’t do it a city cause someone will squeeze into it’ but it is the way it should be done. A couple of fire engine drivers I know say that they will silence the sirens when the red light situations arise but keep the lights on, they also say they will cross onto the wrong side of the road if possible to continue moving if needed, but, if there is an accident then they are at fault and would be punished by the employer as well as the law.

[deanlad]

Damned if you do, damned if you don’t…
Got a torrent of abuse from ambulance driver and addicts to paramedic for not moving through a red light a year or 2 ago…hand gestures, the lot.

Equally only a couple of days ago, single carriageway, quiet area. Was early, no traffic, bog standard lights - no cameras anywhere. I nudged over the line for a fire engine to pass.. with a thank you from them….

[jaytip]

This one boggled me. It’s at 1:30. 100mph through a red light. Staggeringly dangerous.

https://youtu.be/39kw8CjFB7k

[Chris_in_the_UK]

Rule 219 of The Highway Code states:
'You should look and listen for ambulances, fire engines, police, doctors or other emergency vehicles using flashing blue, red or green lights and sirens or flashing headlights, or Highways Agency Traffic Officer and Incident Support vehicles using flashing amber lights. When one approaches do not panic. Consider the route of such a vehicle and take appropriate action to let it pass, while complying with all traffic signs. If necessary, pull to the side of the road and stop, but try to avoid stopping before the brow of a hill, a bend or narrow section of road. Do not endanger yourself, other road users or pedestrians and avoid mounting the kerb. Do not brake harshly on approach to a junction or roundabout, as a following vehicle may not have the same view as you.'
Therefore, as outlined above, if there is an emergency vehicle behind you with its emergency warning signals on, it might be possible for you to manoeuvre out of the way to allow it through. Ideally this should be to the side of the road without encroaching into the main area of the junction (see below). It should only be done when it is safe to do so without putting yourself or other members of the public in danger and it should only be done slowly and carefully.
If you do cross the stop line at the junction whilst the lights are on red, you will commit the offence of contravening a red traffic light. It's important to remember that in committing the offence (crossing the stop line) the onus will be on you to provide evidence that you did so to allow an emergency vehicle through. That may be considered as mitigation, but there is no guarantee that it will be. If the police decide to prosecute you for the offence and you choose to challenge that decision, it will ultimately be a matter for a court to decide.