This red light runner on Olive and M St. entered the intersection several seconds after his light turned.
Yours truly, the owner of this site, witnessed this extreme red-light runner earlier in May (May 18, 2026), turning onto M St from Olive, several seconds after their light turned red.
It’s hard to make out in the dashcam video, but I can confirm that the driver was certainly distracted, looking at something on his windshield-mounted smartphone, as he completed his turn.
Check out the video below.
As mentioned, the incident happened at the intersection of Olive Ave. and M St. in Merced, CA (Exact location on Google Maps linked here.)
I was driving eastbound on Olive when I stopped at the aforementioned intersection.
Drivers can be seen making a left turn onto M from Olive.
Just as we get the green light, a driver in a mid-2000s Honda Accord can be seen driving towards and turning in front of us, which means they were facing a red for several seconds at that point, an extreme red light runner.
As they drove by, I could see this driver looking and tapping something on his windshield-mounted smartphone, a clear case of distracted driving.
Thankfully, my fellow drivers and I were paying attention, and everyone in the first row of cars slowed to avoid t-boning the distracted driver.
Running a red light in Merced can carry a base fine around $100, but with California court fees and assessments, the total is often closer to $500. A conviction also adds 1 point to your California driving record. Looking at a phone while driving can also lead to a separate distracted driving citation.
In California, using a handheld phone while driving carries a $20 base fine for a first offense and $50 for later offenses, but after court fees and assessments, drivers typically pay around $160–$180 for a first ticket and more for repeat violations. A second or later offense within 36 months can also add 1 point to your driving record.
