Due to a rise in pedestrian accidents that have resulted in major injuries and fatalities, several cities and municipalities are considering or have already approved changes, policy updates, and new driving laws. Some cities have even moved to ban drivers from turning right on red lights. Washington D.C.’s City Council approved a right-on-red ban in 2022 which takes effect in 2025 and the incoming Mayor of Chicago has included in his transition plan an idea to limit right turns on red. Ann Arbor in Michigan now bans right turns at red lights in its downtown area and San Francisco leaders recently voted to urge their transportation agency to ban right on red citywide. Cities such as Seattle, Los Angeles, and Denver have also looked into such a ban.
Pedestrian and bicycle accident victims are speaking up in favor of these moves while critics say such blanketed bans would not make streets any safer. Safety advocates counter that argument by pointing out that official crash reports often tend to be mislabeled and as a result underestimate the dangers. The United States is one of the few major countries that allows right turns on red. Such turns have never been allowed across most of New York City, where large signs alert visitors that the practice is prohibited there.
The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) reports that in 2022 over 7,500 pedestrians were struck and killed by vehicles in 2022. Much of this increase has been attributed to an increase in larger vehicles, such as pickup trucks and SUVs, on the road. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reports that likelihood a vehicle turning right would injure a pedestrian fatally was 89% higher when the vehicle was a pickup and 63% higher when it was an SUV. The reasoning is these vehicles have larger blind spots and deadlier force associated with the heavier models.
Crashes involving vehicles turning right can be particularly fatal due to a combination of factors that amplify the risk of severe injuries or fatalities with the key element being the interaction between the turning vehicle and the pedestrian in the crosswalk. As vehicles turn right, especially at intersections with traffic signals, pedestrians often have the right of way to cross. Drivers often fail to notice pedestrians, especially if they are focused on checking for oncoming traffic from the left. The turning motion of the vehicle also increases the potential for a more direct and forceful impact. Pedestrians are vulnerable as they may not anticipate the turning vehicle or may misjudge its speed, leading to inadequate reaction time. In some cases, drivers may execute the turn without a proper check for pedestrians in the crosswalk, resulting in a collision.
Visibility may also be a critical factor. Large vehicles, such as pickups, SUVs, trucks, or buses, may have blind spots that hinder the driver’s ability to see pedestrians. This reduced visibility can contribute to accidents, making it essential for drivers to exercise extra caution when turning right, especially in urban areas with high pedestrian traffic. The injury and fatality risks in pedestrian accidents involving right-turning vehicles arise from factors such as inattentiveness, failure to yield, reduced visibility, and the vulnerability of pedestrians to the impact of turning vehicles. Increased awareness, adherence to traffic regulations, and improved road design can all help alleviate these risks and enhance pedestrian safety.
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