Why Right Turns on Red Are Bad for Traffic Safety

The practice creates dangerous conditions for pedestrians, cyclists, and anyone crossing in front of turning vehicles.

1 minute read

January 29, 2025, 7:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


"No turn on red" sign on signpost with pedestrian stoplight.

Merry / Adobe Stock

A December report from the Mineta Transportation Institute offers new evidence that allowing drivers to turn right on red lights makes roads more dangerous for pedestrians and people on bikes, reports Dan Zukowski in Smart Cities Dive.

Zukowski explains, “The study noted that ‘most drivers do not come to a complete stop and instead roll through’ the red light, creating a safety hazard for pedestrians in the crosswalk.” 

The practice dates back to the 1970s, when a federal law permitted the practice as a fuel-saving measure during that era’s gas crisis. Throughout the United States, most cities allow turning right on red except where otherwise noted. But intersections with right turns on red see higher rates of collisions, while “The MTI research, quoting an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study, noted that the odds of pedestrians dying were 89% greater in a right-turn collision involving pickup trucks and 63% greater with SUVs.”

As electric vehicles, which are heavier and accelerate at a faster rate than combustion-engine cars, become more common, the study concludes that banning right turns on red could be a key element in reducing traffic deaths and injuries.

Monday, January 27, 2025 in Smart Cities Dive

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Bird's eye view of manufactured home park.

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing

Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

March 25, 2025 - Shelterforce

U-Haul truck on road with blurred grassy roadside in background.

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?

Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

March 27, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Rusty abandoned oil well and equipment with prickly pear cactus next to it in West Texas.

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage

Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

March 31, 2025 - Pennsylvania State University

Close-up on U.S. Forest Service plaque.

What Forest Service Cuts Mean for Cities

U.S. Forest Service employees work on projects that have impacts far beyond remote, rural wilderness areas.

30 minutes ago - Greater Greater Washington

Two yellow and white Dallas Area Rapid Transit light rail streetcars at station in Dallas, Texas.

North Texas Transit Leaders Tout Benefits of TOD for Growing Region

At a summit focused on transit-oriented development, policymakers discussed how North Texas’ expanded light rail system can serve as a tool for economic growth.

1 hour ago - KERA News

Blue and white Amazon trucks parked at loading docks at warehouse.

Poorest NYC Neighborhoods Pay Price for Delivery Boom

The rise of ‘last-mile’ e-commerce warehouses — and their attendant truck traffic and air pollution — is disproportionately impacting the most historically disadvantaged parts of the city.

2 hours ago - Inside Climate News