Should You Wait for the Red Light When Making a U-Turn?
2 Answers
If the U-turn indicator light is red, you must wait to make a U-turn; otherwise, it will be considered running a red light. According to the "Road Traffic Safety Law," this offense carries a penalty of 6 demerit points and a fine of 200 yuan. If there is no U-turn indicator light, and the gap is marked with a dashed line, the U-turn is not affected by traffic signals and does not require crossing the pedestrian crossing. If the gap is marked with a solid line, the U-turn must cross the pedestrian crossing and is subject to the left-turn signal. Making a U-turn directly without adhering to these rules may result in being photographed or penalized by on-site traffic police. When making a U-turn that requires crossing the 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 only after ensuring safety. If pedestrians are waiting outside the boundary line of the motorized and non-motorized lanes and have not entered the road, vehicles should slow down and proceed only after ensuring safety. If pedestrians cross the boundary line between the motorized and non-motorized lanes, vehicles that do not stop are committing a traffic violation and should be penalized. If pedestrians enter the motorized lane (Lane A) via the crosswalk, vehicles in Lane B should slow down and proceed only after ensuring safety. Vehicles in Lane A that do not stop are committing a violation and should be penalized. If pedestrians are waiting at the centerline of the road without entering the motorized lane, vehicles that do not stop are committing a violation and should be penalized. If pedestrians cross the centerline of the road and enter the motorized lane, vehicles that do not stop are committing a violation and should be penalized. If the road is divided by a green belt and pedestrians are waiting in the middle of the road, vehicles must slow down and proceed only after ensuring safety. Circumstances under which a U-turn is allowed: If there is a U-turn sign at the intersection, you can make a U-turn. If there is a U-turn signal light, you must follow its instructions. If there is no signal light, you can make a U-turn as long as it does not interfere with other vehicles or pedestrians. If the intersection does not explicitly prohibit U-turns or left turns, you can make a U-turn. "No explicit prohibition" means there are no signs indicating "No U-turn" or "No Left Turn," and the centerline is not solid. U-turns are also allowed in yellow grid zones. Yellow grid lines are no-stopping zones, but they do allow U-turns unless there is a central barrier. If there is a U-turn signal light, you must follow its instructions and only make a U-turn when the light is green. If signs indicate "No Left Turn" but allow U-turns, U-turns are permitted. Note that "No U-turn" is not the same as "No Left Turn." Precautions when making a U-turn at an intersection: Check the road markings. If they are solid lines, U-turns are prohibited under any circumstances, and you should continue driving to find a suitable spot. If there is a "No Left Turn" sign, even if there is no explicit "No U-turn" sign, U-turns are not allowed at that intersection because U-turns inherently involve a left turn. U-turns must be made from the innermost left-turn lane. If you are in the second left-turn lane, you cannot make a U-turn at that intersection. Always yield to straight-moving vehicles when making a U-turn. If you interfere with their movement, you will bear full responsibility for any accidents. Near the intersection stop line, lanes often have guiding arrows. The leftmost lane is not always a left-turn lane; if it has a straight arrow, U-turns are prohibited even if there are no explicit "No U-turn" signs.
In most places' traffic regulations, you need to wait for a red light when making a U-turn. I think this is quite important because a red light means you can't turn or make a U-turn arbitrarily, otherwise you'll violate complex traffic laws. In China, if you're making a U-turn at an intersection, you need to check if there's a dedicated U-turn signal or sign; if not, it's treated the same as going straight—absolutely prohibited during a red light, as it easily causes accidents. I remember encountering a situation where a driver hastily made a U-turn and almost hit a pedestrian—it was too dangerous. The rules are designed to protect everyone, and violating them not only results in penalty points and fines but could also lead to serious conflicts. So my advice is to make it a habit to wait for the green light before proceeding—safety first, after all, and this also makes driving smoother.
