Stopping at a traffic light appears straightforward. When the lights are red, you must halt at the designated line. Conversely, when the lights are green, you may proceed across the line. However, the meaning of the amber light remains unclear.

Contrary to popular belief, an amber light does not indicate readiness to stop. When encountering an amber light while driving and observing that all vehicles have come to a halt, I am prepared to stop. Nevertheless, being prepared to stop is inconsequential. The primary purpose of an amber light is to provide a clear indication of whether to stop or proceed.

In essence, an amber light signifies that you should cease your vehicle’s motion if feasible. If it is possible to stop without abrupt braking, you should do so. However, if braking is unavoidable, you should continue driving.

The duration of an amber light is approximately three seconds. If you are more than three seconds away when the lights turn amber, you should come to a complete stop. Conversely, if you are closer than three seconds away, you should proceed.

Regrettably, many individuals fail their driving tests due to a sudden and harsh braking response upon encountering an amber light. This behavior poses a risk to the vehicle behind, as it may collide with the rear of the car in front. Therefore, it is crucial to establish a threshold for when to disregard the traffic lights and continue driving when they turn amber.

Practice this skill by intentionally disregarding the traffic lights when you are approximately three seconds away. For instance, when approaching a traffic light, I deliberately disregard it. Even if the light suddenly turns amber, I make a conscious decision to continue driving without slamming on the brakes.

After making this decision, count: one second, two seconds, three seconds. If you cross the line just before completing the count, you have successfully disregarded the lights at an opportune moment.

Conversely, if you cross the line before reaching “two seconds,” you have disregarded the lights too early, and if you cross the line after “three seconds,” you have disregarded the lights too late.

Repeat this practice until your judgment becomes consistently reliable.