Can You Turn Right Without Looking at the Red Light?

[JoannaDella]

When making a right turn at an intersection with a right-turn arrow signal light, vehicles are not allowed to turn right if the signal light is red; if there is no right-turn arrow signal light at the intersection, vehicles in the right-turn lane can turn right even if the signal light is red, but they must not hinder the passage of vehicles and pedestrians that have been given the right of way. Below are specific details about right turns: Specific situations where you need to wait for a red light when turning right: At intersections with circular signal lights or without any auxiliary signs, you do not need to wait for a red light to turn right; if the signal light is an arrow type, you need to wait for a red light to turn right. When making a right turn, vehicles must drive in the right-turn lane. If you turn right from a straight lane or a left-turn lane, it will increase traffic congestion and may result in penalties from law enforcement for running a red light. Things to pay attention to when making a right turn: Check the traffic signal light. If it is a circular or spherical light, right turns are generally not restricted, but there may be exceptions where a sign near the light states "No Right Turn on Red," which requires special attention; check roadside signs. Sometimes, even if the signal light is a circular type, specific locations may have signs prohibiting right turns or limiting right turns to certain times, which requires special attention; observe the ground guide lines. On some roads, the rightmost guide line may not have a right-turn arrow, which also requires special attention.

[VanMorgan]

After driving for so many years, whether you can run a red light when turning right really depends on the situation. When a regular circular red light is on, I usually slow down first and check if there's a 'No Right Turn' sign or a red arrow light at the intersection. If there's nothing, I’ll make sure it's safe before slowly turning, paying extra attention to pedestrians and electric bikes on the crosswalk, especially since there are blind spots when turning. But if I encounter a dedicated red right-turn arrow light, I’ll definitely stop and wait, because turning right at that moment would count as running a red light. A friend of mine once lost 6 points and got fined 200 yuan for failing to notice the arrow light and turning right directly—totally not worth it.

[CharlotteDella]

As a parent who frequently takes kids out, I pay extra attention to traffic lights when making right turns. Although turning right is generally permitted at circular red lights, I always come to a complete stop first to check the distance of oncoming straight-moving vehicles from the left. Especially near schools or shopping mall intersections where many children and elderly cross the road, I slow down even when the light is green. I remember one rainy day when I almost hit a skateboarder who suddenly darted out, all because I didn't look carefully while turning right. Now I've developed the habit of repeatedly checking rearview mirrors and crosswalks before turning right - I'd rather wait three minutes than rush one second.

[ElliotAnn]

From a traffic regulation perspective, whether right turns are allowed on red depends on the type of traffic signal. When a standard circular red light is illuminated, vehicles may turn right provided they do not obstruct other vehicles or pedestrians. However, when encountering arrow-style traffic signals, drivers must strictly follow the arrow's indication. For example, if a red right-turn arrow is lit, making a right turn at that time constitutes a traffic violation, subject to the same penalties as running a straight-through red light. Regulations also explicitly require yielding to pedestrians at crosswalks. Therefore, in practical operation, drivers making right turns must comprehensively assess both the traffic signals and road conditions, ensuring they don't focus solely ahead while neglecting to check both sides.

[DeQuinn]

Last time when accompanying my novice friend for driving practice, she nervously asked whether she needed to wait at a red light to make a right turn. I told her to focus on three key points: first, check the traffic signal shape—turn if it's a circular light but stop if it's an arrow light; second, look for any 'No Right Turn on Red' signs at the intersection; third, observe the movement of pedestrians and vehicles. Once at a downtown crossroad, although the circular light was red, three or four pedestrians were crossing the zebra crossing, so we proactively stopped to yield before making the turn. Beginners tend to overlook blind spots, so I recommend reducing speed below 20 km/h when turning right for enhanced safety.

[VanLilah]

Every time I ride my bicycle through an intersection, I'm most afraid of cars turning right. Many drivers only pay attention to the red light and ignore pedestrians, especially at large intersections with many food delivery electric bikes. Once, while crossing the zebra crossing on a green light, I was almost hit by a right-turning car. The driver even stuck his head out and yelled, 'Don't you know you can turn right on a red light?' In fact, traffic regulations require right-turning vehicles to yield, but many people only remember 'you can turn right on red' and forget about their safety responsibilities. It's recommended that drivers pause for at least 3 seconds to observe when turning right, paying special attention to blind spots, and not risk an accident just to save a few seconds.