Do You Need to Wait for a Red Light When Turning Left?
3 Answers
Turning left requires waiting for a red light. When the red light is on, vehicles are prohibited from passing, and you cannot make a U-turn or turn left directly. The relevant explanations are as follows: 1. Regulations: The "Implementation Regulations of the Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China" have corresponding provisions: when the green light is on, vehicles are allowed to pass, but turning vehicles must not hinder the passage of straight-going vehicles and pedestrians; when the yellow light is on, vehicles that have already crossed the stop line can continue to pass. When the red light is on, vehicles are prohibited from passing. At intersections without non-motor vehicle signal lights and pedestrian crossing signal lights, non-motor vehicles and pedestrians should follow the motor vehicle signals. 2. Right Turn: Right-turning vehicles can normally turn right without affecting others if there is no right-turn indicator light. If there is a right-turn indicator light, they must follow the traffic light requirements.
As an experienced driver who has been driving for many years, I deeply understand: you must wait when turning left at a red light! Especially at busy intersections, if you don't wait for the green light or a dedicated left-turn signal, you risk colliding with oncoming straight-moving vehicles, which is extremely dangerous. I remember often seeing cars in the city making hasty turns to beat the red light, only to be fined by traffic police or even cause rear-end accidents. The basic rule is that red means stop, green means go, and left turns are no exception. The exception is when certain intersections have signs permitting left turns on red, but those are rare, and you must ensure safe speed and observe traffic flow. In short, developing the habit of stopping at red lights can avoid risks and protect both yourself and others.
When I first started learning to drive, my instructor emphasized: you must wait for the red light when turning left. During driving school training, in simulated scenarios, if you turned left while the red light was on, the instructor would immediately correct you, saying it's a violation that could lead to penalty points. The reason is simple: when turning left, you need to cross intersecting lanes, and oncoming straight-moving vehicles might be approaching at high speed—turning blindly without waiting for the green light is too risky. Now, every time I drive to an intersection, I pay attention to the traffic light status and only proceed when the green light is on or the dedicated left-turn arrow turns green. Although waiting patiently takes a bit more time, safety always comes first—don't rush for momentary convenience.
