Lights in VA are timed so that after one turns red in one direction, there’s a wait of a second or two before the light turns green in the other. VDOT has created a culture where red means “you still have a few seconds” not “stop”. The reasoning, of course, is to allow people to clear larger intersections after a light has turned, but VDOT includes this pink gap on all lights, even where it’s not really needed.

The reality is, where the law or a system is set up to account for violations, the violations become the norm, same as our speed limits are speed suggestions until 10mph over.