Do I Need to Wait for the Red Light When Making a U-Turn?
2 Answers
Yes, according to the Road Traffic Safety Law, you can make a U-turn when there is no traffic light or no sign prohibiting U-turns, provided that it is safe to do so. However, when there is a traffic light, you must follow the traffic light signal. Forcing a U-turn will result in penalties. You can make a U-turn under the following circumstances: 1. When the vehicle has not crossed the stop line, you can make a U-turn on the side with a dashed line. 2. If the vehicle has crossed the stop line, you must wait for the green light to make a U-turn. 3. When the road sign indicates that left turns are allowed on red, you can make a U-turn. 4. If there is a dedicated U-turn signal light, you can make a U-turn according to the U-turn light.
This issue actually depends on the specific intersection setup. As a veteran driver with over ten years of experience, let me share a little trick with you. There are mainly two scenarios for U-turn rules: At regular traffic light intersections, if you want to make a left turn or U-turn, you must wait for the left turn green light. However, some special road sections have gaps in the double yellow lines with signs indicating no need to obey traffic signals - in such cases, you can make U-turns directly without waiting for red lights. The key is to observe road markings: if your U-turn requires crossing the stop line, then wait for green light; if there's a dedicated U-turn channel before reaching the stop line, no need to wait. Be extra cautious when driving at night - once I almost collided with an oncoming vehicle when I made an impatient U-turn without waiting for green light, now I always check traffic signals carefully before turning the steering wheel.
