Can You Turn Right at a Red Light Without an Arrow?
2 Answers
You can turn right at a red light without an arrow, but you must be in the rightmost motor vehicle lane before turning right. Under a red light, you can turn right directly in the following situations: Circular traffic light: If the circular traffic light at an intersection turns red, vehicles in the right-turn lane can turn right directly. However, you must be careful not to interfere with other vehicles, as well as pedestrians and vehicles on the road behind and to the right. Arrow-shaped right-turn indicator: If you encounter an arrow-shaped right-turn sign at an intersection, you cannot turn right when the red arrow is lit. If you turn right, you will be considered running a red light. Additional sign on a circular red light: At some intersections with complex road conditions, you may sometimes see a reminder above the traffic light indicating whether you can turn right on a red light. If the prompt says "Turn Right on Red," you can turn right. If it says "No Right Turn on Red," you must wait for the green light before turning. Laws and regulations: According to the "Regulations for the Implementation of the Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China," motor vehicle and non-motor vehicle traffic signals indicate: When the green light is on, vehicles are allowed to pass, but turning vehicles must not hinder the passage of straight-moving vehicles and pedestrians. When the yellow light is on, vehicles that have already crossed the stop line can continue to pass. When the red light is on, vehicles are prohibited from passing. At intersections without non-motor vehicle or pedestrian crossing signals, non-motor vehicles and pedestrians should follow the instructions of the motor vehicle traffic signals. When the red light is on, right-turning vehicles can pass if they do not hinder the passage of other vehicles and pedestrians. According to the "Road Traffic Safety Law," the regulations on traffic lights are as follows: Article 25, Paragraph 2 states that traffic signals include traffic lights, traffic signs, traffic markings, and the directions of traffic police. Article 26 states that traffic lights consist of red, green, and yellow lights. A red light indicates prohibition, a green light indicates permission, and a yellow light indicates a warning. Article 38 states that vehicles and pedestrians should follow traffic signals; when directed by traffic police on-site, they should follow the directions of the traffic police; on roads without traffic signals, they should pass under the principle of ensuring safety and smoothness. Article 62 states that pedestrians should use crosswalks or pedestrian facilities when crossing intersections or roads; when crossing at intersections with traffic signals, they should follow the traffic signals; when crossing at intersections without traffic signals or crosswalks, or when crossing roads without pedestrian facilities, they should cross after confirming safety. Article 89 states that pedestrians, passengers, and non-motor vehicle drivers who violate road traffic safety laws and regulations regarding road passage will be given a warning or fined between 5 and 50 yuan; non-motor vehicle drivers who refuse to accept the fine may have their non-motor vehicles confiscated. Driving a motor vehicle in violation of traffic signals will result in a 6-point penalty. Precautions for right turns: Pay attention to straight-moving vehicles on the left: When turning right, you should observe both the right and left sides for vehicle conditions. Pay attention to left-turning vehicles from the opposite direction: In addition to observing straight-moving vehicles, you should also check for left-turning vehicles from the opposite direction. When turning right, pay attention to vehicles on the left, whether they are turning left or going straight, and let them pass first. Pay attention to pedestrians: When turning right, in addition to crosswalks before the intersection, there may also be crosswalks at the corner. Be sure to observe whether there are pedestrians on the crosswalks.
I've been driving for over a decade. Generally, you can turn right at a red light without an arrow, but this isn't absolute. Under China's mainland traffic rules, at a circular red light without specific arrow signals, drivers can turn right after ensuring safety. You must come to a complete stop first, observe the surroundings, especially checking for pedestrians or cyclists on the crosswalk. Absolutely yield to through traffic and crossing pedestrians, otherwise accidents can easily happen. I've encountered several close calls, like when turning right on a rainy night, a pedestrian suddenly dashed out and I barely stopped in time. So now my habit is to always reduce speed to minimum when turning right, no matter what, and take extra seconds to observe. Safety must always come first—don't take risks just to save time. If caught by cameras or traffic police for failing to yield, you could face a 200-yuan fine and 3 penalty points. Remember, just because the rules permit it doesn't mean you can act recklessly.
