A motorcyclist is stopped at a red light that has not turned green. When may the motorcyclist legally proceed through the intersection?
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A.
As soon as no other cars are behind the motorcycle.
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B.
After waiting one full traffic-light cycle.
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C.
After 120 seconds, yielding to oncoming traffic. Correct
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D.
Only when a police officer directs traffic through.
The answer is "After 120 seconds, yielding to oncoming traffic."
A motorcyclist may proceed through a red light that hasn't changed after 120 seconds, but only after yielding to oncoming traffic. Riders who trade the specific 120-second wait for a vague "one full cycle" rule from another state pick option B instead.
The traps in the wrong answers
A. As soon as no other cars are behind the motorcycle.
The exception depends on the 120-second wait, not on whether other cars are around. This answer borrows the 'dead red' rule from states that let a motorcyclist proceed once satisfied the traffic-light sensor missed them.
B. After waiting one full traffic-light cycle.
Illinois sets a specific 120-second wait, not a rounded reference to a full traffic-light cycle. This answer recalls a 'wait one full cycle' version of this rule from another state and rounds Illinois's 120-second figure into it.
D. Only when a police officer directs traffic through.
Illinois does not require police direction, but the motorcyclist still must wait 120 seconds and yield the right of way to oncoming traffic before proceeding. This answer extends the officer-overrides-signal rule from intersection basics to assume any red-light bypass needs official authorization.
This question tests your knowledge of Sharing the Road in Illinois. Source: Illinois Rules of the Road, "Chapter 5: Sharing the Road, Stoplights," p.41..
Related Illinois questions
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