The survey, conducted by the state Transport Administration (Transpordiamet) in late 2025, found nearly one in 10 drivers ran red lights.

Traffic light discipline varied greatly from study site to study site, however: At one location in Pärnu, nearly 40 percent of drivers covered in the survey ignored red lights, whereas at some other locations, drivers always stopped at reds, for as long as the survey was conducted. Driver discipline when it came to yellow lights was noticeably poorer in the capital than elsewhere in the country, and had declined there compared with surveys conducted in previous years.

Under the study's methodology a traffic light was considered to have been ignored in cases where a driver could have safely stopped the vehicle in time when the light turned yellow or red, but did not do so for whatever reason.

"An average of 58 percent of drivers ignored the yellow traffic light. The corresponding figure for those running a red light was nine percent," according to the summary of a study conducted last fall.

Thirteen observation sites, at traffic intersections and pedestrian crossings, were set up nationwide. the highest shares of drivers ignoring a yellow light, where 86 percent of drivers failed to yield, followed by the Sõpruse-Sütiste-Keskuse intersection in Mustamäe, where the figure was 82 percent.

The share of drivers running a red light was highest in Pärnu, specifically at the intersection of the Tallinn-Pärnu-Ikla highway and the Pärnu-Lihula road. A total of 38 percent of drivers did so. At the four intersections observed: The Paldiski-Sõle and Laagna-Vilmsi intersections along with the two Sõpruse intersections referenced above, the share of drivers ignoring a red light ranged from 7 percent to 20 percent, ths study found.

Just three intersections saw no instances of drivers ignoring traffic light instructions, while two intersections posted just the one offender each.

In addition to recording drivers who ignored traffic light signals, the study also measured the share of traffic light cycles during which time drivers ignored a yellow or red light. One traffic light cycle was defined as the period between two green lights illuminating. If there were no vehicles at the intersection when the prohibitory, ie. yellow or red, light came on, that cycle was not counted.

Using this metric, at the two Sõpruse puiestee intersections in Tallinn noted above, 96 percent of cycles saw drivers ignoring a yellow light, while red lights were ignored in 4 percent of the cycles. At the other observation sites, the share of traffic light cycles in which a yellow light was ignored ranged from 28 to 84 percent.

Red lights were most frequently ignored at the Narva mnt 25 pedestrian crossing in Tartu and the Pärnu highway/Lihula road intersection in Pärnu referenced above: In both cases, during 17 percent of traffic light cycles. These were followed by the Laagna-Vilmsi intersection in central Tallinn, at 14 percent of cycles, and the Paldiski-Sõle intersection, also in the capital, at 12 percent.

The share of traffic light cycles involving red-light violations was relatively similar in Tallinn and at observation sites in other cities and on highways. By contrast, when it came to obeying yellow lights, Tallinn's result was almost twice as bad as that of other regions.

The study also compared the results with those of previous years, showing that compliance with yellow lights has improved on the open highways and in cities other than Tallinn, but was worse in the capital and was in fact the worst recorded under the current methodology.

Changes in red-light compliance compared with previous years were not particularly significant, the survey found.

Observations for the 2025 traffic behavior monitoring study were conducted between September 23 and November 27.

In addition to monitoring drivers' compliance with traffic lights, the study also observed pedestrians' compliance with traffic lights, drivers yielding to pedestrians at uncontrolled pedestrian crossings, and driver behavior at rail crossings.

Under the Traffic Act, a solid green light permits proceeding, while a flashing green indicates that amber is about to illuminate.

An amber light bars proceeding – moving forward from the stop line or other place designated for halting is permitted only where halting in that place cannot be done without endangering road traffic.

A red light prohibits proceeding, as does a red and amber light simultaneously, even as this informs drivers green is about to illuminate.

Additional regulations apply to traffic lights at feeder lanes and with arrowheads and at other locations.

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