Turn on red

Turn on red is a principle of law permitting vehicles at a traffic light showing a red signal to turn into the direction of traffic nearer to them (almost always after a complete stop, depending on the jurisdiction) when the way is clear, without having to wait for a green signal.

North American traffic engineers first introduced this rule as a fuel savings measure in the 1970s, despite detrimental effects to the safety of pedestrians.

A right turn requires checking only two nearby crosswalks (at least one of which will show "don't walk") and vehicular traffic moving towards the driver, while a left turn or going straight requires checking two crosswalks and vehicular traffic moving in multiple directions.

When turning right on red, the vehicle typically has to yield to traffic coming from the left, and the crosswalk parallel to that stream if there is one.

In some intersections, allowing a right on red would be unsafe, such as when there is a train running parallel to the road on the right side, synchronized to the traffic light timings.

Only British Columbia, Alaska, Idaho, Michigan, Oregon, and Washington allow this type of turn by default.

and eastern states amended their traffic laws to allow it in the 1970s as a claimed fuel-saving measure in response to motor fuel shortages in 1973.

Most Caribbean countries with right-hand traffic, such as the Dominican Republic, allow right turn on red unless a sign prohibits it.

Some vehicles, such as those carrying hazardous materials and school buses, are not allowed to turn on red under any circumstance and must wait for a green light or arrow.

§ 6322(c) ("Each proposed State energy conservation plan to be eligible for Federal assistance under this part shall include: ...(5) a traffic law or regulation which, to the maximum extent practicable consistent with safety, permits the operator of a motor vehicle to turn such vehicle right at a red stop light after stopping, and to turn such vehicle left from a one-way street onto a one-way street at a red light after stopping.").

Subsequent to the study, the Province of Quebec now allows right turns on red except where prohibited by a sign.

[33] In the U.S., 38 states allow left turns on red only if both the origin and destination streets are one way as of December 2018[update].

As of December 2018, the following states and territories ban left turns on red: Connecticut, Maine, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Dakota (unless permitted by local ordinance), the District of Columbia, and Guam.

However, the regulations require drivers to stop completely, as their paths intersect with other vehicles or pedestrians in at least one direction.

[49] In Germany, right turns on red are only permitted when a sign is present at the traffic light, after a complete stop.

[55][56] Historically, a different sign with the same meaning was used in the nineteen sixties, a green curved arrow on a small white rectangle board, attached under a traffic light.

[57][58] In Russia, right turns on red are only permitted if a separate arrow-shaped green light allows it; drivers must give way to any vehicle coming from a different direction.

[59] In France, a right turn on red without stopping is allowed when a separate arrow-shaped amber light flashes, but drivers do not have priority.

[60] In Belgium, road signs that allow cyclists to turn right on a red light have been added to traffic law in 2012.

[62] Like in the Netherlands, Belgium and France have a road sign that allows cyclists to turn right on a red light.

At some junctions there is a separate left arrow-shaped green "filter" light which, when lit, allows left-hand turns but conflicting traffic will always have a red signal.

Despite the announcement of the date for the elimination of the green arrows in October 2014, many city administrations were not prepared for alternatives, which led to considerable public outrage in January 2020.

In Latvia, you are allowed to turn right/left on red when an additional section is present and lit on a traffic light.

Also in this case the car turning on red must give way to ongoing traffic, to pedestrians and other road users.

In some one-way junctions, the same rule applies for left on red (such as Cluj-Napoca Avram Iancu Square).

[85] Queensland previously allowed left turns on red at certain intersections, but was scrapped in 2021 after a trial period found that the safety risk to pedestrians outweighed any time-saving benefits.

[86] There are conflicting views on the policy of left turns on red, with supporters pointing to lower vehicle emission and time savings, while opponents cite safety concerns.

This table shows the legal status of turns on red in various jurisdictions, where no sign is present or traffic signal explicitly prohibits it.

[92] For the 1982–1992 period, a National Highway Safety Commission report estimated that total fatal crashes in the U.S. involving vehicles making a right turn on red, were between 0 and 84, and probably toward the lower end of the range.

"[94][95] A 2009 study by The New York City Department of Transportation of injuries before and after right turn on red was allowed at specific intersections concluded that the change had not affected accident rates.