GEM Motoring Assist is urging drivers to think twice before trying to ‘beat the lights’, warning that jumping a red traffic signal is a reckless gamble with other people’s right of way that can put vulnerable road users in danger.
Recent figures from Scotland have highlighted the scale of red light running on UK roads, underlining that this is not a marginal problem but a persistent behaviour that increases risk at already hazardous locations.
The data, provided by Police Scotland and released by online used car retailer cinch, reveals that a total of 14,122 offences for failing to comply with a red traffic light signal were logged between January 2023 and March 2026.
GEM says the numbers are a stark reminder that junctions remain high-risk places, where pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and people crossing the road legally, can be placed directly in harm’s way.
GEM is encouraging all road users to approach junctions with patience, caution and respect for others. GEM says there is a need for better junction design and driver education, with a stronger public understanding of the consequences of jumping the lights – and enforcement of the rules where necessary.
Drivers need to know that amber means prepare to stop – not accelerate up to and across the junction.
James Luckhurst, head of road safety at GEM Motoring Assist, said: “Running a red light is not a harmless shortcut or a bit of cheeky driving. It is a deliberate decision that gambles with the safety of other people who have the right to expect protection from the signals. The ones who pay the highest price are often those least protected – people on foot, on bicycles or on motorcycles.
“We all have a duty to avoid causing harm to others on the road. We should assume that a red light is there because someone else, somewhere on that junction, may well be about to rely on it. If you choose to ignore it, you’re not just breaking the law – you’re gambling with their priority and potentially their life.”
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