Can You Legally Run A Red Light In North Dakota?

If you're only reading the headline you might think this is a stupid question, but hear me out for a second.

3am

Let's say you just worked a long shift, you're dead tired, driving home at 3am and you keep hitting red light after red light. You know you're supposed to stop... That's driving 101.

What if you're sitting at a red light for what feels like eternity and there isn't a single other car in sight?

You start to get antsy, you look around; it seems safe to go, you don't see any cops, so you slowly start to roll out into the intersection and go for it.

Question

My question: is THAT legal in North Dakota? I searched high and low for clarification on this and didn't find much.

While it could be argued socially, it can't be argued legally. Unfortunately, it seems you must obey the same rules as any other time of day.

According the North Dakota Century Code, there are no provisions for running a red light.

A driver who fails to stop at a red light or follow a given traffic signal can get pulled over by law enforcement.

That said, most states do allow you to treat a malfunctioning light as a four-way stop.

Red Means Stop

Trust me, I know when you're trying to get home it can be frustrating to sit in your car waiting for a light to change when it's arguably safe to go.

The other day I hit four red lights in a row. I thought to myself: "If I hit one more, I'm going to lose my mind." I turned a corner and got stopped by a train. I had to take deep breaths.

Take it easy and be safe out there!