About the game
Traffic Stop is a free reflex game that is really a reading game in disguise. Cars stream down a busy road, and a radar tag above each one shows its speed in km/h. A round speed-limit sign in the corner shows the rule for the road. Your only job is to decide, car by car, whether the number above it is higher than the number on the sign — and to act before the car drives out of sight.
It sounds easy, and on the first shift it is. Then the road widens from two lanes to four, traffic gets denser, the speeders creep closer to the limit, and on the later shifts the sign itself changes in the middle of the shift. A car doing 60 is perfectly legal in a 70 zone — until the roadworks sign drops the limit to 50.
There are 10 shifts, each lasting 40 seconds, from a quiet Morning Commute to the Chief's Challenge. Each shift can earn up to three stars, for a total of 30.
How to play
- Check the sign. The round sign in the top-left corner shows the current speed limit.
- Read the radar tags. The white tag above every car shows how fast it is going.
- Tap the speeders. Any car whose number is higher than the limit must be pulled over. Tap or click the car; its brake lights come on, the TICKET lights flash and it pulls onto the shoulder.
- Leave legal drivers alone. A car exactly on the limit is legal. Stopping a legal driver costs a strike.
- Don't let speeders escape. A speeder that leaves the bottom of the screen also costs a strike.
- Survive the shift. Keep going until the 40-second timer runs out. Three strikes end the shift early.
Strikes, score and stars
You have three strikes per shift, shown as circles in the bar above the road. You get a strike for each legal driver you stop and for each speeder that gets away.
- Points: every speeder you stop is worth 100 points, plus up to 50 extra points for catching them early (near the top of the road), plus a streak bonus of 10 points for every correct stop in a row, up to +100.
- 3 stars: finish the shift without a single strike.
- 2 stars: finish with one strike.
- 1 star: finish with two strikes. Any finished shift unlocks the next one.
Your stars and your best score for each shift are saved in your browser, so you can come back later and try for a perfect run.
The ten shifts
| Shift | Lanes | Speed limit | What makes it tricky |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Morning Commute | 2 | 60 | A gentle start: speeders are well over the limit. |
| 2. School Zone Run | 2 | 40 | A low limit, so ordinary-looking speeds are illegal. |
| 3. Ring Road | 3 | 80 | A third lane to watch. |
| 4. Market Street | 3 | 50 | Speeders are only 8 to 25 km/h over. |
| 5. Roadworks Ahead | 3 | 70, then 50 | The limit drops after 20 seconds. |
| 6. Rush Hour | 4 | 60 | Four lanes and heavier traffic. |
| 7. Expressway | 4 | 100 | Fast traffic; some speeders are just 5 over. |
| 8. Weather Warning | 4 | 80, then 60 | A mid-shift limit cut in dense traffic. |
| 9. Festival Night | 4 | 50, 70, then 40 | Two limit changes in one shift. |
| 10. Chief's Challenge | 4 | 60, 80, then 50 | Everything at once, with speeders only 3 over. |
When the limit changes
On shifts 5, 8, 9 and 10 the sign pulses and a NEW LIMIT message appears. From that moment, every car is judged against the new number — including the cars that are already on the road. When the limit drops, drivers who were legal a second ago may now be speeding, so glance back over the whole road right after each change.
Tips for a perfect shift
- Say the limit in your head. Before each shift, repeat the limit to yourself. It makes the "higher or lower" decision faster.
- Work from the bottom up. Cars near the bottom are about to escape. Deal with those first, then look further up the road.
- Exactly on the limit is legal. A 50 in a 50 zone is fine. Only numbers that are strictly higher get a ticket.
- Faster cars move faster. The radar speed also sets how quickly the car moves on screen, so speeders reach the bottom sooner than legal traffic.
- Don't tap in panic. A wrong stop costs exactly as much as a miss, so when in doubt, read the number first.
Frequently asked questions
Is Traffic Stop free?
Yes. It is completely free to play in any modern browser with no download, account or in-game purchases.
Can I play on my phone?
Yes. The road is tall and narrow, so it fits a phone held upright. Tap a car with your finger; the tap area is slightly bigger than the car itself to make fast cars easier to catch.
Are the speed limits realistic?
The limits are typical round numbers you might see on real roads, but the game is not a driving guide. Always follow the signs and local rules where you drive.
Will I lose my progress?
Stars and best scores are stored in your browser on this device. They stay until you clear your browser data or play in a private window, which does not keep them.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes. There is no violence — speeders simply get a ticket and pull over. Reading and comparing numbers quickly also makes it a nice bit of number practice for younger players.