What those mysterious blue lights really mean
If you’ve driven through certain intersections lately and spotted a small blue light mounted above or below the usual red-yellow-green stack, you’re not imagining things. Those blue dots aren’t decorative, and they’re not a new signal drivers need to learn. They’re there for police—and they’re quietly spreading to more cities and states.
The lights are known as confirmation lights, and their job is simple: help law enforcement spot red-light runners more easily and more safely. You’ll find them in parts of Florida, including Gainesville, Orlando, Fort Myers, and Collier County, as well as in states like Colorado, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Kansas.
What are they actually doing?
Confirmation lights are wired directly to the traffic signal and only illuminate when the light facing that direction is red. So if a police officer is positioned on the opposite side of an intersection—or anywhere with a partial view—they can look for the blue light instead of trying to guess whether the main signal is red.
If the blue light is on and a vehicle drives through the intersection, it’s a strong indication that the driver ran the red light. That makes enforcement more straightforward and reduces disputes over whether the signal was yellow or red…