Can You Turn Left When the Straight Light is Green?
2 Answers
Here are the specific situations for turning left when the straight light is green: 1. At an intersection with a regular three-color traffic light, you can turn left when the light is green, but you must yield to oncoming straight-moving vehicles. 2. At an intersection with arrow lane signals, when the straight arrow is green but the left-turn arrow is red, you cannot turn left, but you can enter the left-turn waiting area. When the left arrow turns green, vehicles in that lane can proceed to turn left. Below are the indications for motor vehicle and non-motor vehicle traffic lights: 1. When the green light is on, vehicles are permitted to proceed, but turning vehicles must not obstruct the passage of straight-moving vehicles or pedestrians. 2. When the yellow light is on, vehicles that have already crossed the stop line may continue to proceed. 3. When the red light is on, vehicles are prohibited from proceeding.
As an experienced driver with over twenty years behind the wheel, I often encounter this situation at intersections. Going straight on a green light is of course fine, but left turns require extra caution. Many novice drivers make mistakes here, mistakenly thinking a green light means they can proceed directly to turn left, which may conflict with oncoming traffic. I remember one time at a city intersection, the light turned green and I prepared to turn left, but forgot to yield to an oncoming truck going straight—nearly causing an accident. So the key rule is: if there are no signs prohibiting left turns, you may turn left on green, but must come to a complete stop, ensure there are no straight-moving vehicles or pedestrians from the left, and only then proceed safely. Traffic light setups vary between cities—some intersections have dedicated left-turn arrow signals, making it clearer. The core of safe driving lies in patience and observation; don't rush. Ultimately, driving isn't just about watching lights, but reading the whole road situation and developing good habits to avoid danger.
