Do U-turn Lanes Need to Obey Traffic Lights?

[OMaverick]

If the gap is marked with a dashed line, U-turns are not affected by traffic signals and do not require crossing the pedestrian crossing. In such cases, you can make a U-turn directly, provided it does not interfere with other normally moving vehicles and ensures your own safety. However, if the gap is marked with a solid line, then the U-turn must cross the pedestrian crossing and is subject to traffic signal regulations. When making a U-turn that requires crossing a pedestrian crossing, you must yield to pedestrians: If pedestrians are walking on the right side of the crosswalk and have not reached the centerline of the road, vehicles on the left side of the road should slow down and proceed cautiously, ensuring safety while allowing pedestrians to cross. If pedestrians are waiting outside the boundary of the motorized and non-motorized lanes and have not entered the roadway, vehicles should slow down and proceed cautiously, ensuring safety while allowing pedestrians to cross. If pedestrians have crossed the boundary between the motorized and non-motorized lanes, vehicles failing to stop and yield constitute a traffic violation and should be penalized. If pedestrians have entered the motorized lane (Lane A) via the crosswalk, vehicles in Lane B should slow down and proceed cautiously, ensuring safety while allowing pedestrians to cross. If vehicles in Lane A fail to stop and yield, it constitutes a traffic violation and should be penalized. If pedestrians are waiting at the centerline of the road without entering the motorized lane, vehicles failing to stop and yield constitute a traffic violation and should be penalized. If pedestrians have crossed the centerline of the road and entered the motorized lane, vehicles failing to stop and yield constitute a traffic violation and should be penalized. If the road is divided by a median with greenery and pedestrians are waiting in the median area, vehicles must slow down and proceed cautiously, ensuring safety while allowing pedestrians to cross. Scenarios where U-turns are permitted: Intersections with U-turn signs: If an intersection has a clear U-turn sign, U-turns are allowed. If there is a U-turn traffic signal, follow the signal's instructions. In the absence of a signal, make the U-turn based on the situation, ensuring it does not hinder other vehicles or pedestrians. Intersections without explicit U-turn or left-turn prohibitions: If there are no signs explicitly prohibiting U-turns, they are allowed. "No explicit prohibition" means the intersection lacks signs like "No U-turn," "No Left Turn," or solid centerlines, making U-turns permissible. Yellow grid lines also permit U-turns: Yellow grid lines are no-stopping zones typically marked at intersections prone to congestion due to temporary stops, important facility entrances, or other critical locations. Stopping on these grid lines (including waiting for traffic lights) is a violation. While stopping is prohibited, U-turns are allowed in these areas as long as there is no median barrier, effectively treating them as "U-turn permitted" zones. Intersections with U-turn traffic signals: This is straightforward—if a U-turn signal is present, follow it; U-turns are only allowed on green. When "No Left Turn" and "U-turn Permitted" signs coexist: U-turns are allowed, but left turns are prohibited. Note that "No U-turn" is not the same as "No Left Turn." Important considerations for U-turns at intersections: Check road markings: If the line is solid, U-turns are prohibited under any circumstances. Continue driving to find a suitable location. If a "No Left Turn" sign is present, even without a "No U-turn" sign, U-turns are not allowed at that intersection, as U-turns inherently involve a left-turn motion. U-turns must be made from the innermost left-turn lane. If you are in the second left-turn lane, U-turns are not permitted at that intersection. Always yield to oncoming traffic when making a U-turn. Proceed only if it does not disrupt the normal flow of straight-moving vehicles; otherwise, you bear full responsibility for any accidents. Near intersection stop lines, lanes often have guiding arrows. The leftmost lane may not always have a left-turn arrow—some may have straight arrows. Even without explicit "No U-turn" signs, U-turns are prohibited in such lanes.