That Thing We All Do (But We Shouldn’t)

In North America, right turns on red lights are basically a religion. Here’s why we need to end this practice.

I remember, years back, seeing an episode of Top Gear—the old episodes with Jeremy Clarkson—where, while touring America, he proclaimed that the “right turn on a red light” was America’s greatest invention… or something like that. It was a while ago.

But as in so many things, Clarkson is wrong here too.

In Canada and the USA, and maybe a few other places I don’t know, we can make right turns on red lights unless otherwise contraindicated. You know that, I know that. We do it all the time.

But it’s an insane idea. Here’s why.

For starters, it’s so often misunderstood and misinterpreted. The law requires you to come to a complete stop, and, if safe in all directions, you may proceed with a right turn unless it’s contraindicated.

In practice, we all know what really happens. Turning right on a red means an Idaho stop at best, followed by a rapid acceleration as you try to match the speed of the oncoming traffic juggernaut.

So when a law results in such lawlessness, it should at least be examined from time-to-time.

But even in the best use-case, it’s still so clearly prioritizing a tiny amount of increase to traffic flow over the safety of the most vulnerable road users: pedestrians.

Why? Very simple. Most light-controlled intersections have crosswalks. And when a roadway is signalled to stop by a red light, the same roadway’s crosswalk opens. Very simple; reasonably safe.

But then comes the infamous Right Turn on a Red Light. It now becomes legal to drive through an active, signal-operated crosswalk.

But not only is it legal—the nature of the right turn on a red light requires the driver to be mostly cognizant of traffic coming from their left. For their own safety!

Watch the driver next time you see one making a right turn on a red. Their head is firmly pointing left, to ensure their safety as they navigate into the oncoming traffic, which is of course coming from the left.

They’re not looking right. Right at the curb. Right at the sidewalk. Right at the pedestrian calmly stepping into an active, signal-operated crosswalk that has clearly given them the “walking man” signal that all is OK.

In Canada, 21% of all pedestrian fatalities occur at crosswalks… and some 82% of all pedestrian collisions happen at crosswalks.

How much of this has to do with the simple allowance of a right turn at a red light?

Is 30 seconds of a driver’s day worth YOUR life?

So what can we do? Simple. Consider the right turn on a red light the EXCEPTION not the RULE. If there is oncoming traffic, or pedestrian activity, re-train your brain to pause. People may honk behind you. But they can’t see what you see. It’s OK. Take a breath.

Believe me, hitting a pedestrian is going to slow you down a lot more than a red light.