Traffic Light Turns Red Halfway Across – 89-Year-Old Senior Killed Crossing Street in Beijing

A fatal traffic accident recently occurred at an intersection in Beijing's Fengtai District, where an 89-year-old senior was struck by a left-turning private car while crossing the street on a crosswalk, ultimately succumbing to his injuries. After investigation, police emphasized that even if the pedestrian signal turns red midway through crossing, the pedestrian still has the right to continue to a safe location, and the driver involved bears full responsibility.

According to CCTV footage, at the time of the incident, the elderly man began crossing the street along the crosswalk as the pedestrian light turned green. When he reached the middle of the roadway, the signal turned yellow and then red. At this moment, the driver surnamed Yang, who was driving the second car in the left-turn lane, allegedly attempted to pass ahead of the vehicle in front and, in doing so, struck the elderly man on the crosswalk, resulting in tragedy.

● Police Clarify Right of Way Responsibilities

In response to the question of what pedestrians should do if the traffic light changes color while crossing, police clearly stated that according to regulations, once a pedestrian starts crossing during a green light, even if the signal turns red midway, they still have the right of way and may continue to walk until they have finished crossing. All other vehicles (including turning vehicles) must pay attention to the road, wait patiently, and ensure pedestrian safety before proceeding.

The police determined that in this accident, the driver Yang was mainly responsible because he failed to yield to a pedestrian on the crosswalk, thus causing the incident and must bear full responsibility.