x
Breaking News
More () »

Verify: Can you turn left on a red light at a one-way street?

Can you make a left at a red light on a one-way street?

Cars whizz up and down Hardeman Avenue and Forsyth street where drivers can use the one-way streets to get onto I-75 north or south, but when the light turns red, drivers are often confused about whether they can turn left.

So we set out to verify -- is it legal to make a left turn when the light is red or should you wait for the green light?

Norris, who lives around the area, said that he makes the turn most of the time.

"Yes I do, normally I do make a left when I'm getting ready to make a U-turn to get back on Hardeman or either going on to Hardeman or 75 south," Norris said.

While we were outside recording, we saw some cars patiently waiting while several other cars made the turn despite the red light.

So is it legal to turn left on a one-way street when the traffic light is red? We had a Bibb County sheriff's officer meet us at the intersection to help explain the law.

"Especially this intersection, they are not sure if they can make the turn or not," Sergeant Hilton Dawson said.

Dawson works with the traffic division and said that it is legal to turn left on a one-way street.

"Traffic laws and, you can go online, it will also inform you that you can make a legal left on a one-way street at a red light," Dawson said.

And according to Georgia Code 40-6-71, "The driver of a vehicle intending to turn to the left within an intersection or into an alley, private road, or driveway shall yield the right of way to any vehicle approaching from the opposite direction."

So we verified that you can turn left on to a one-way street if the light is red, but Dawson said you must make the turn from the furthest left lane

"You should be in the far outer lane to make the left turn, not the middle lane, but the far left lane to make a left turn onto a one-way street," Dawson said.

Sergeant Dawson said some people do get a little road rage when a car does not turn left at a red light, but he recommends drivers take some time to review Georgia law.

Before You Leave, Check This Out