Right turn on red? With pedestrian deaths rising, US cities are considering bans

| According to a national report by the Governors Highway Safety Association, more than 7,500 people walking were struck and killed by automobiles in 2022, the highest number since 1981. The spike, which included all accidents — not just those involving right turns on red, was attributed in part to an increase in larger vehicles such as SUVs and pickup trucks on the road.

| The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that the odds a pedestrian would be killed when struck by an automobile turning right were 89% higher when the vehicle was a pickup and 63% higher when it was an SUV, due to larger blind spots and the deadlier force associated with heavier models.

SUVs and pickups (I have a pickup, but I mostly only use it for activities that require a pickup) are extremely dangerous and should not be incentivized as they are by the current rules, and more, they should be taxed more heavily than sedans, coupes, and station wagons.

Then a bit further down:

| But Beeber said the National Motorists Association study of California found that even when there was an accident associated with right turns on red, at least 96% of the injuries sustained by pedestrians or cyclists were minor.

Mr. Beeber is biased, and so is the NMA, so it's hard to say, but not much other data is offered regarding right-on-red injuries/fatalities, so I'm inclined to want to see more data before agreeing that we should ban right-on-red generally, or even in the cities as opposed to in areas with high pedestrian traffic. (Even where pedestrian traffic is high, it being high means drivers will tend to not miss them.)

TFA makes a point of the dearth of data on right-on-red accidents. According to TFA there have been no new studies on the topic since 1994(!). I think the first step then would be to commission several studies.

| “One injury or death is too many,” said Washington state Sen. John Lovick, the primary sponsor of a bill this year that would have prohibited right on red statewide near schools, parks and certain other locations. “If it were me at that intersection crossing, I would want something done.”

This "one injury or death is too many" idea in general is very dangerous because it ignores unintended consequences completely. It's an idea that appeals to emotions rather than to reason.

The average American doesn't understand the concept of "have your head on a swivel" and maintaining situational awareness of what is going on in two different directions. Or of just always be looking the direction that you're going (if you're about to stomp on the accelerator you better first be looking forward).

The massive SUVs and trucks just make the problem worse, but they didn't start the problem.

And that is apart from the horrible level of driver education, and education in general in the US, where a lot of drivers don't seem to understand that you actually need to stop for a right on red, or even that you need to yield to traffic from the left and just blow straight through the light.

it's also people fucking scrolling on their fucking phones WHILE PERFORMING THE MANOEUVRE that's part of it

or people not being used to seeing pedestrians because they live in sparse suburbs where nobody walks or goes outside, really, so they roll through that right on red as that's what they're used to

driving is the fucking worst

Would be nice to see cops aggressively ticketing drivers who turn right while pedestrians are trying to cross. At some of these intersections, it seems like you could just park a cop there all day and generate crazy money for the city.

On several occasions, I've walked into the crosswalk immediately after it changes to "Walk" and been honked at by a car that has nearly run me over. I've even experienced a few times where the next car wanting to turn right will follow closely behind the first, and I'm forced to go back and wait for the next light cycle... all while the sign still displayed "Walk".

As a result, there are a few intersections where I've accepted that I cannot cross regardless what the sign says so long as there are any cars waiting to turn right present.

I thought it was entirely optional everywhere, and prohibited in NYC and Montreal.

A red does generally mean red, so no one can fault you for not turning on red. If I don't feel safe turning right on red (i.e. obstructed view) I just sit there.

Went straight through in the sense of not stopping at all? Running a light is still illegal. (Also pedestrians have right of way if cars have a red light, so that sounds illegal regardless)

> I also wonder how traffic routing works with right on red; since you cannot prohibit right turns under any circumstances, how do you direct traffic on T-junctions and 4-way junctions?

The traffic with the green light has right of way; everyone else is only allowed to turn if there's an opening. Does that answer the question, or did I misunderstand?

Traffic making a right on red must yield to all other traffic (driving straight from your left, and making a left turn from the opposite side) and pedestrians (in front of you and to the right). I think there is a law that U-turns yield to right turns on red though? Not sure about that.

Cases where it's prohibited are plentiful, usually in cases where a right on red can't be executed safely (like if there's poor visibility around a corner) or if right on red would be disruptive to traffic flow.

Having a system where everyone basically has to drive to live a normal life (no matter how irresponsible or dumb they are) is simply inherently dangerous.