Community Chat

[Lucky Charm]

Of the 3 states we own homes in, you can make a left turn on red (after stopping!) onto a one- way street--in only one state.

And I do it in that state, but really only in one spot, when I have to go into the city.

It's safe!

[qbetzforreal]

In California, you can make a left hand turn on a red light onto a one-way street.  Unless posted otherwise.  You can make a right hand turn on a red light, if it is clear to do so and again unless it is post otherwise.

[Carmie]

In my state you can make a left hand turn on a one way street to another one way street after stopping on red.

We do not have too many street that fit this description that I know of.  It is so much safer than making aright handturn on red after stopping.

[Bri369]

The only time we can turn on red is if we are already in the left-hand turning lane.  If there is a light with no left turn arrow, you can make a left-hand turn when it is safe to do so.  Sometimes that means the light changes to red.

What I do notice more and more of in Illinois is not being able to make a right hand turn until the light is green.  There are red light cameras.  That is a total scam.  

[qualitygal]

no left turns on red here = a ticket.

[Isobel Archer]

My favorite was when I lived in TX over 20 years ago and discovered that cars EXITING the freeway had the right of way.  Not talking abut merging - talking about -you must yield to them period.

[kaydee50]

Here in Illinois I understand that, as a previous poster has mentioned, a left hand turn from a one way street onto a one way street at a red light is legal.  Not so in NY or NJ.

I wish there would be one driver's license valid for the entire country.  I have moved to several different states and have always needed to get a new license.  What a pain!!

[Cakers3]

You can in my state but you must be on a one-way street turning into another one-way street.  It makes sense.  You would run into this downtown, especially;  some of those streets are narrow one-way single lane and older; it keeps things moving.

Right on red is allowed after full stop, etc. etc. etc. and also you can turn right from the right lane and left lane next to it if that left lane has a right turn capability.  Clear as mud, I know.  lol

[mimomof4]

In Michigan, Yes I do it almost every day on my way into work while turning onto a One Way street.  Its obvious that many people don't realize they can do it as I do on occassion get stuck behind someone who waits for the entire Red light to turn.

[Alison Wonderland]

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@Its Me LuLuBelle2 wrote:

I am not a believer in big government being involved in our day to day lives.  I think states certainly should have rights that are not mandated/governed by the Feds.  But, IMHO, traffic laws, coast to coast should be uniform.  As a free society, we travel, we drive throughout our country and we should all be familiar with the same laws.  Not so, apparently!  Looking forward to your thoughts.  LuLu

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I think there are good reasons for states setting their own laws. In denser areas with a lot of pedestrians, it may be a good idea to limit left turns on red lights, but in less dense areas, it holds up traffic. I've never lived in a state where turning left onto a one-way street on a red light was not legal, but even so, it's not something I do with frequency. There was one intersection near my old apartment where it came in very handy and I used it often at that particualr intersection, but that was about the only place in town I've ever have a real reason to do so.

When I was a kid, the maximum speed limit was 55 across the country and any state who changed it could have funding withheld by the federal government. That only lasted a little over a decade because it makes more sense to set speed limits by area and land use that by country. Higher limits make sense for highways with less traffic and long stretches of road, like west Texas, where the maximum speed limit is 80 MPH. Having driven from El Paso to Austin, I can appreciate why in ways that lawmakers from smaller and denser states cannot.