Do You Need to Observe the Left-Turn Red Light When Making a U-Turn?
2 Answers
When making a U-turn, vehicles must observe the left-turn traffic signal and can only proceed when the left-turn signal is green. Motor vehicles are permitted to make U-turns at locations without prohibitive signs or markings against U-turns or left turns, provided they do not obstruct the normal passage of other vehicles and pedestrians. Additional information: According to Article 38 of the "Implementation Regulations of the Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China," motor vehicle and non-motor vehicle traffic signals indicate: 1. When the green light is on, vehicles are allowed to proceed, but turning vehicles must not obstruct the passage of straight-moving vehicles and pedestrians that have been given the right of way. 2. When the yellow light is on, vehicles that have already crossed the stop line may continue to proceed. 3. When the red light is on, vehicles are prohibited from proceeding.
When I first started driving, I also struggled with this issue a lot. Now I understand that whether you need to watch for the left-turn red light when making a U-turn mainly depends on how the intersection is designed. Generally, if there's no dedicated U-turn signal at an intersection, you must wait for the left-turn green light to make a U-turn. Nowadays, many urban intersections have dedicated U-turn traffic signals—in such cases, regardless of the left-turn signal's color, you must strictly follow the U-turn signal's instructions. The key is to check whether the intersection has a dedicated arrow signal for U-turns and ground markings. Once, I was in a hurry and didn't notice the left-turn red light, making a U-turn directly, only to be caught by a traffic camera—three points and 200 yuan gone just like that. Everyone, remember: as long as your front wheels cross the stop line, it counts as starting the U-turn maneuver, and the traffic signal status at this moment is especially crucial. Making a U-turn without paying attention to the signal is not only dangerous but also illegal.
