Should right turns on red lights be banned? These U.S. cities are considering it
A growing number of cities across the United States are considering banning right turns on red lights to combat rising pedestrian deaths.
So-called “right-on-red bans” have already taken effect in some major cities, while several other cities are considering implementing them in the next few years.
Behind right-on-red laws
Right turns on red lights were largely banned throughout the United States until the 1970s, when the country faced an oil crisis.
In order to conserve energy, the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 was passed, allowing cars to turn right on red signals, rather than idling. States were required to adopt the measure or risk not receiving federal highway money, The Associated Press reported.
Since then, right turns on reds have been allowed throughout the United States, except when specifically posted.
Combating rising pedestrian deaths
The amount of people killed by cars while walking has reached a 40-year high in the U.S., according to a report from the Governors Highway Safety Association released earlier this year. The analysis found that drivers struck and killed over 7,500 people walking in 2022, the most deaths since 1981.
Meanwhile, pedestrian fatalities have increased 77% since 2010.
Though the rise in pedestrian deaths can be attributed to several causes — distracted driving and an increase in larger vehicles on the road, for example — some safety advocates say banning right turns on red could help lower the risk of pedestrian deaths.
“It’s an easy change to make that should be made in more places,” Mike McGinn, former Seattle mayor and executive director of the advocacy group America Walks, told Stateline.
Critics of right-on-red bans, however, say that the bans would not necessarily make streets safer and would significantly slow down traffic.
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“What’s really behind this movement is part of the agenda to make driving as miserable and as difficult as possible so people don’t drive so much,” Jay Beeber, executive director for policy at the National Motorists Association, told The Associated Press.
Right-on-red bans across the U.S.
Right-on-red bans have grown in popularity in recent years, with some major cities, like Washington, D.C., approving bans that will take effect in the next few years.
Below is a list of U.S. cities that have banned right on red:
Ann Arbor, Michigan — The city banned right turns in its downtown area.
Cambridge, Massachusetts — The city council approved a right-on-red ban in November 2022.
New York City — Right turns on red are only permitted where signs are specifically posted.
Washington, D.C. — The city council approved a bill that would ban right on red starting in 2025.
Other cities are considering similar bans. Below is a list of major U.S. cities that are considering banning right on red or are in the process of doing so:
