Indiana has a statute that we call the Dead Red Statute or the Dead Red Law. It is designed to bail out a motorcycle rider who gets stuck at a red light and the light won’t change because of the sensors.

How The Dead Red Statute Saves Motorcyclists

It’s Indiana Code 92137 and it addresses a situation where a motorcyclist reaches a red light and the light does not change for 120 seconds. It states that if traffic is otherwise clear and it’s safe to proceed, the motorcyclist can travel through the red light and not violate the traffic code.

This statute does not apply to auto-cycles, so a Polaris Slingshot has to wait for the light to change. But presumably, the slingshot has enough metal on it to trigger the light sensors.

What You Should Do

If you get stuck at a red light and your bike isn’t triggering the sensors to change the light from red to green, just wait for 120 seconds. Then you can proceed through the red light and would not be subject to a ticket. That’s provided that the coast is clear and it’s safe to proceed, of course.

As always, stay safe and enjoy the ride.