Can You Turn Right at Two Parallel Red Lights?
2 Answers
As long as there is no red right-turn arrow, no right-turn prohibition sign, and no sign prohibiting right turns on red, you can turn right. The following are the traffic light rules at intersections: 1. When encountering a red light: Vehicles (including bicycles, motorcycles, and electric vehicles) cannot go straight or turn left, but can turn right. Pedestrians who have already entered the crosswalk can continue to cross or wait at the centerline of the road. 2. When encountering a green light: Vehicles can go straight, turn left, or turn right (pay special attention to the directional arrows on the traffic light). However, turning vehicles must not impede the passage of through traffic or pedestrians.
I've encountered a similar situation before while driving and thought about it. When a regular circular red light is on, you can theoretically make a right turn as long as there's no 'No Right Turn on Red' sign at the intersection. But two red lights side by side are a bit special—they might be arrow signals specifically controlling the right-turn lane. If both are red right-turn arrows, then turning is absolutely prohibited; if one is a circular red light for straight traffic, you'll need to check the status of the signal corresponding to the right-turn lane. Last month, I saw this design at the intersection of Liberation Road, where they installed a dedicated indicator light for the right-turn lane. In such cases, the safest approach is to observe the traffic signs or follow the lead of local drivers ahead. Also, pay extra attention to pedestrians at crosswalks when making a right turn—sometimes the signal prioritizes pedestrian crossing.
