The Case for Ending Legal Right Turns on Red Lights

Right turns on red became legal at a large scale across the country in the 1970s, despite the threats the practice represents to pedestrians and people on bikes.

1 minute read

May 17, 2018, 1:00 PM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell

Zangrilli Andrea / Shutterstock

Angie Schmitt lays out the case for ending the right turn on a red light that's legal at almost every intersection in just about every community across the United States—except new York City.

Letting drivers turn on red can save gas, but there is a trade-off. Though recent studies are lacking, the body of research shows that allowing rights on red compromises safety for people who walk and bike.

Most of the article is dedicated to laying out the body of evidence (with studies from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration) about the additional risk right turns on red lights bring to pedestrians and people on bikes.

Still, despite all this evidence, it's unlikely that traffic laws will be changing any time soon.

FULL STORY: It’s Time for Cities to Rethink Right Turns on Red

Tuesday, May 15, 2018 in Streetsblog USA

Infrastructure Transportation United States Red Lights Right Turns Traffic Laws Pedestrian Safety Bike Safety Car-Centric Urbanism View More

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