Lowndes County warns cutting through parking lots to beat red lights is illegal
Lowndes County warned drivers that cutting through parking lots to avoid red lights, a practice sometimes called “rat-running,” violates Mississippi law and creates safety hazards for pedestrians and motorists.
In a recent “Traffic Tip Tuesday” post on the county’s social media page, Lowndes County cited Mississippi Code Section 63-3-313 as the primary statute covering disregarding a traffic control device, the county said. The post said the maneuver intentionally avoids an official traffic signal or sign and can create hazards for people walking and for drivers using parking lots.
The county noted that traffic laws can be enforced on private property that is open to the public and that if a driver does not conduct business on the property, authorities may assume the lot was used as a shortcut. Possible consequences include a moving-violation citation and fines that may reach several hundred dollars, the post said.
Lowndes County urged drivers to remain at red lights and proceed only when signals turn green, saying traffic controls are designed to protect everyone on the road. Officials asked residents to drive responsibly to help keep the community safe.
