Can You Make a U-Turn When the Traffic Light is Red?

[McElliana]

If the U-turn signal light is red, you must wait to make a U-turn; otherwise, it will be considered running a red light. According to the "Road Traffic Safety Law," this offense carries a penalty of 6 demerit points and a fine of 200 yuan. If there is no U-turn signal light, and the gap is marked with a dashed line, the U-turn is not affected by the traffic signal, nor does it require crossing the pedestrian crossing. However, if the gap is marked with a solid line, the U-turn must cross the pedestrian crossing and is subject to the left-turn signal light. Making a U-turn directly under such circumstances may result in being photographed or penalized by on-site traffic police. When making a U-turn that requires crossing the pedestrian crossing, you must yield to pedestrians: If pedestrians are walking on the right side of the crosswalk and have not reached the centerline of the road, vehicles on the left side of the road should slow down and proceed only after ensuring safety. If pedestrians are waiting outside the boundary line between motorized and non-motorized lanes and have not entered the roadway, vehicles should slow down and proceed only after ensuring safety. If pedestrians have crossed the boundary line between motorized and non-motorized lanes, failing to stop and yield is a violation and subject to penalties. If pedestrians have entered the motorized lane (Lane A) via the crosswalk, vehicles in Lane B must slow down and proceed only after ensuring safety. Failing to stop and yield in Lane A is a violation and subject to penalties. If pedestrians are waiting at the centerline of the road without entering the motorized lane, failing to stop and yield is a violation and subject to penalties. If pedestrians have crossed the centerline of the road and entered the motorized lane, failing to stop and yield is a violation and subject to penalties. If the road is divided by a median with greenery and pedestrians are waiting in the median area, vehicles must slow down and proceed only after ensuring safety. Scenarios where U-turns are allowed: If there is a U-turn sign at the intersection, you can make a U-turn. If there is a U-turn signal light, follow its instructions. If there is no signal light, make the U-turn based on the specific situation, ensuring it does not interfere with other vehicles or pedestrians. If the intersection does not explicitly prohibit U-turns or left turns, you can make a U-turn. "No explicit prohibition" means there are no "No U-turn" or "No Left Turn" signs, and the centerline is not solid. U-turns are also allowed in yellow grid zones. Yellow grid lines indicate no-stopping zones, typically marked at intersections prone to congestion due to temporary stops, important facility entrances, or other designated areas. While stopping in these zones (including waiting for traffic lights) is prohibited, U-turns are permitted as long as there is no median barrier. The yellow grid zone effectively functions as an "allowed U-turn" area. If there is a U-turn signal light at the intersection, follow its instructions—only proceed on green. If "No Left Turn" and "Allowed U-turn" signs appear together, U-turns are permitted, but left turns are prohibited. Note that "No U-turn" is not the same as "No Left Turn." Precautions when making U-turns at intersections: Observe road markings. If the line is solid, U-turns are prohibited under any circumstances. Continue driving to find a suitable location. If there is a "No Left Turn" sign, even if there is no explicit "No U-turn" sign, U-turns are not allowed at that intersection, as U-turns inherently involve a left-turn maneuver. U-turns must be made from the innermost left-turn lane. If you are in the second left-turn lane, U-turns are not permitted at that intersection. Always yield to through traffic when making a U-turn. Proceed only if it does not interfere with their normal flow; otherwise, you will bear full responsibility for any accidents. Near the intersection stop line, lanes typically have guiding arrows indicating permitted movements. Not all leftmost lanes have left-turn arrows—some may have straight arrows. Even if there are no explicit "No U-turn" signs, U-turns are prohibited in such lanes.