Question: When there is an intersection with two right turn lanes, are both lanes allowed to turn right on red after stopping? And can drivers change lanes during the turn when both lanes are going the same direction? In my experience, the drivers changing lanes toward the left as they turn are completely oblivious to the other right-turning lane.
Answer: There’s nothing stopping anyone from getting the Taco Bell logo permanently tattooed on their body, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. To the 17 people with Taco Bell tattoos, no judgment here; I respect your commitment. My point here is that there are plenty of things we are allowed to do that, for good reason, we choose not to do, and this includes how we drive.
As drivers, we’re familiar with the right turn on red (RTOR), but to make sure we’re all on the same page I’ll summarize. At a red light, a driver intending to take a right turn (or a left turn onto a one-way street) may, after stopping for the red light and yielding to other cars and pedestrians in the intersection, make their turn. (Exception: When a sign is posted prohibiting a RTOR.) When an intersection has two right turn lanes, the law doesn’t limit the option for a RTOR to just the rightmost lane.
Legally, yes, you can make a right turn on red from either right turn lane. But even though it’s allowed in both lanes, the fact that you asked this question is a good indicator that plenty of drivers aren’t clear about the rules in this situation. And that’s when problems can arise.
You may find yourself at a red light behind another driver in the left of two right turn lanes, see that there’s no cross-traffic, and wonder why they don’t just take their right turn already. Maybe they see something you don’t see. Or maybe they don’t know they’re allowed to make that turn. Or maybe they know the law, but they also know that right turns on red lights account for a disproportionately high number of crashes with pedestrians so they’ve chosen not to take them. That’s a lot of maybes.
A right turn on red is an option, not a requirement, and it should only be done if it can be done safely.
To quote a phrase that was often said in our household, “Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.” If you have the option of making that turn, or you’re behind someone who does, it’s a good time to exercise clear judgment and patience.
As to changing lanes during the turn, the Washington Driver Guide states, “If there are signs or lane markings that allow for two or more turning lanes, stay in your lane during the turn.” Pretty clear, right? Our state law leaves things more ambiguous, but does state that a driver shall not leave their lane until they’ve determined that it can be done safely. Is changing lanes in an intersection inherently unsafe?
Since driving instructors are training our future drivers to be safe, I asked a few of them if they’d penalize a student for changing lanes in an intersection during a driving exam. The consensus was essentially, “Yes, after changing my shorts, there would likely be a penalty.”
What does driving through an intersection and getting a Taco Bell tattoo have in common? Done poorly, they both can have long-lasting consequences. But I think I’d pick a bad tattoo over a serious traffic crash. The tattoo might be embarrassing, but a crash in an intersection could be life-altering.
Doug Dahl is a manager with the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, Region 11 and publishes TheWiseDrive.com.
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