New South Australian road rule will allow drivers to turn left at any time at selected intersections, even when facing a red light
In a matter of weeks, drivers will be able to turn left while traffic lights are red at 19 intersections across the city. SEE THE LOCATIONS + VOTE IN OUR POLL
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In a change that will confuse some drivers, vehicles will be allowed to turn left on a red light signal at 19 city intersections.
The State Government will make good on an election promise to relax rules after a Transport Department review of a trial at seven intersections showed turning left against red traffic signals had not caused any serious safety issues.
Twelve more Adelaide intersections have been identified by a statewide study to find locations where the traffic-busting move would not catch motorists by surprise and cause crashes.
Transport Minister Stephan Knoll said the turn would only be allowed after vehicles had come to a complete stop, and the driver had given way to all other traffic.
“In the last five years, there were zero casualty crashes as a result of left turn on red signal movements at these existing seven locations,’’ he said.
The 19 intersections where the manoeuvre will be allowed will all be signposted, and the move made legal at the end of June this year.
On average the changes will mean 5700 cars will daily be allowed to turn left when they would otherwise have been stopped by the red lights.
The change became a pre-election battleground between the then Liberal Party opposition, and Labor State Government, which would not expand on the seven intersections where the move had become legal in 2015.
Under the Australian road rules there is already scope for the push, providing it is signposted with “left turn on red permitted after stopping”.
The rules state: “If there is such a sign, you can turn left before the traffic lights change to green – but only after stopping at the stop line and making sure it is safe to do so and giving way to all other vehicles and pedestrians.’’
The move is considered low risk because the turning vehicle is merging with vehicles travelling in the same direction.
California has long allowed turning right from the right lane of a road against a red light.
The manoeuvre led to a famous Woody Allen put down of Los Angeles in the 1977 movie Annie Hall, in which his character remarks “I don’t wanna live in a city where the only cultural advantage is that you can make a right turn on a red light’’.
Mr Knoll said a review of the existing arrangements showed the addition of more intersections to the scheme would “bust traffic congestion and reduce travel times’’.
“Analysis from the active locations shows around 300 left turn movements occur under a red light condition each day, per location, making up 30 per cent of all left turn movements at these intersections,’’ he said.
“That means tens of thousands of motorists each and every week are waiting at traffic lights when they don’t have to be.’’
Mr Knoll said ongoing safety studies would be completed to make sure the changes had not caused safety problems at the 19 intersections.
The State Government would then make its final determination on whether to continue “left turn on red” movements by May 2021.
Mr Knoll said any changes would be based on both local and interstate data, as a similar trial is currently being undertaken by Brisbane City Council
“The Marshall Liberal Government is delivering on its election commitment to identify suitable locations to expand ‘Left Turn on Red’ signage to bus congestion,” he said.
“Measures like this complement our record $12.9 billion pipeline of infrastructure works to upgrade intersections, roads and level crossings to reduce travel times and improve safety.
The new signage will be put in place before the end of June 2020, as part of the government’s
Keeping Metro Traffic Moving initiative.