So, you are approaching a robot that just turned orange, in an 80km/h zone, minding the speed limit. There is a permanent enforcement camera at the intersection.
The safe answer is to stop if possible, after also ensuring that you will not be rear-ended by the car behind.
Under AARTO with its demerit points, what should you do?
Well, charge code 1678 specifies that failing to stop behind the line carries a R500 fine and a demerit point. Charge code 1789 (doing 91-95km/h in an 80km/h zone) carries a R250 fine and no demerit points. Charge code 1790 (doing 96-100km/h in an 80km/h zone) carries a R500 fine and a demerit point.
Given that few cars can accelerate fast enough to reach 96km/h from 80km/h in a shorter distance than they can safely brake from 80km/h to 0km/h, it is clear that to minimize penalties under AARTO, the answer is to accelerate if there is even the slightest chance that you will be unable to stop behind the line.
Clearly AARTO is designed to keep us safe then! (Not).
And, just to make this clear, this is not a hypothetical situation. I have seen a traffic summons issued to a retired lady which just managed not to stop behind the stop line, but is clearly stationary and not endangering anybody, yet now has a demerit point. Had she gunned it instead, her driver's license would still be unencumbered.
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