Making Left Turn with Green Light and No Green Arrow

If it aint red!

on the State. There is a more recent practice of a left turn traffic signal that is actually lit in the pattern of an arrow, to turn to a flashing yellow and that indicates you can turn left. The yellow arrow will be flashing to indicate an increased need for caution. But this isn’t anything universal, yet! Personally I think you would be OK in most states if lights simply indicated green, and there wasn't anything specific to prohibit a left turn situation.

I think it's legal to turn left if the turn lane doesn't have it's own traffic light and/or that light is not red, assuming you've yielded to oncoming traffic.

As said above, it depends on State and Provincial law. If there is no signage indicating there is a specific light for left turns at the intersection, you can generally turn left if there is no oncoming traffic ... oncoming traffic have the right of way.

Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices:
https://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/pdfs/2009r1r2/pdf_index.htm
The MUTCD is the ultimate resource for traffic control devices on federal roads and highways. Any road that receives federal funding must be compliant with the MUTCD. Individual States often have their version of the MUTCD. State driver license manuals also explain the permissible movements for different traffic signals. All of this information is downloadable on the Web.
Mark

Thank you everyone for the informed responses.

Philadelphia has had the red, yellow, and green left arrows for some time now. Now as the state upgrades the traffic signals they are putting the all arrow lights up. They've done that this past year on a couple roads in my area. The addition of the yellow flashing arrow is new as well on these upgraded signals.

At one of these intersection I saw something a little troubling and I've been trying to catch it on film as I pass by ever since, so far I have not been successful. The traffic lights were all red, say east west, with one person heading west in the left turn lane. When the west traffic got the all green, plus left arrow, east was still all red EXCEPT the flashing yellow also came on. I would think when west got the left arrow the east arrow would stay red. Very odd.

I found copies of the NY State and CT driving manuals online. In those two states, it appears a turn is allowed unless there is a sign stating otherwise, or a red arrow in that lane, or a generic red light for all of the lanes. It is probably true for most states.

where I live, and also in NY state, you can do left on red if it's one way to one way, except where posted "no turn on red."

In my younger years, I got a kick out of doing it in front of cops, when I have a passenger. They would often ask what I'm doing, as if I'm running a red light, and I was, and am, easily amused.

I would think that where there's a green arrow, there is also a red light, so you would wait for the arrow. Otherwise, why not simply have a red/yellow/green light....a pic would help.

The green-left-turn-arrow also means that the oncoming traffic has a red light. When you have just a green light, oncoming traffic also has a green and you must yield to oncoming traffic.

Circular green light means you can proceed into the intersection in any legal direction. If there's no light or sign prohibiting the left turn, you can enter the intersection and turn left on the circular green.

It seems the left arrows are sometimes programmed to be off in the wee hours of the night. I guess that with the low traffic volume there's no need for the left arrow to filter the traffic.

On a green light and a left turn, you do not have the right of way, but you do have the right to turn if there is no oncoming traffic.

In Maryland,
You can stop then turn if it is flashing red arrow. Proceed cautiously as intersections with this placement are normally with high occurrence of accidents.

Never seen a flashing red arrow. IL doesn't use 'em to my knowledge, and WI has flashing yellow arrows to indicate its permissible to turn.

I suppose that does make sense. A flashing red means stop, yield, then go in most cases.

If there is no signage or red light prohibiting the turn, it should probably all right.

Yes, you can turn left with a green ball, absent signage saying otherwise. You must yield to oncoming traffic, just as you would when making a left turn without a signal.

The MUTCD states that left green arrows are a protected turn ( you have the right of way but must still yield to pedestrians). The green ball allows a permissive turn.

Recent amendments to the current MUTCD recommend flashing yellow arrows for the permissive left turn . It essentially means the same thing but is supposed to emphasize yielding to traffic. LED lights that tolerate flashing longer than old light bulbs also make this more cost effective.

Personally, I understand and prefer the green ball over the flashing yellow arrow, which can be distracting over other flashing yellow alerts.

The federal MUTCD was changed around 13 years ago to clarify a steady red arrow means stop and stay stopped, with no turn on red. Previously states were interpreting this differently, so the ambiguity was removed. State statues were supposed to be revised where necessary to indicate this. States must follow the standard MUTCD to receive highway funding, at least in theory.

In some places, a turn on red was desired, and the Flashing Red Arrow does allow turning when safe after a full stop, just like a Flashing Red Ball allows one to continue after a full stop, like a stop sign.

Finally caught my concern on video.

Before the new 'flashing yellow arrow' this intersection had a plain old green arrow dedicated signal, once the adjacent through traffic got the green the left turn lane would get a full red 'ball'. Now it gets a flashing yellow when the opposing traffic gets a green arrow and full green.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLm2YDEojtU

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Perfectly legal here in Amarillo. There is just a sign that warns you to be aware of oncoming traffic..

It must be the new normal because prior to this all traffic had a red when opposing traffic had a full and left turn green, once that green arrow went out then the two directions had a full green with a sign warning those wanting to turn left to use caution. In other words, this flashing yellow in my part of the world is new within the past 6 months or so for an all around protected left turn signal.

Example shown in these two photos, prior to the flashing yellow the camera would have been looking at this type set up and no one in the cameras direction would go u tile the opposing protected green arrow was finished.

https://i.postimg.cc/bv777srs/20220501-072727.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/Px1gTTvK/20220501-072733.jpg

When discussing yellow lights, due deference should be given to what Amarillo does!

Yes, if there is no red left turn arrow. In TX there is a flashing yellow arrow when green in the opposing direction to indicate you can turn left if it is clear to do so. It typically also includes a red left arrow and green left arrow to more effectively direct when you can and can't turn, like when cross traffic has a green light.

They will have the correct answer for you. Nobody knows state law better than these folks!

Back in 2016, I was in W Phila, patiently waiting to get by a school bus, or, wait for it to proceed. It was blocking the street with no indicators whatsoever.

Someone blared their horn, and stupidly, I reacted by going.

I look in my rearview and "suddenly" the school bus is honking, and it has its reds on, and the person behind me didn't go.

I googled on my way home and found a school bus violation is a mandatory suspension.

My google search brought up all kinds of law firms offering their services.

I saw a state trooper parked in a Kohl's parking lot, so I approached and told him what happened.

He said to be careful, you don't know why that bus was taking so long, what if it were a disabled child? You should not have simply just gone because someone honked at you.

He said don't worry, you do not have a DL suspended for a school bus violation.

THAT IS INCORRECT!!

At any rate, it made me realize, the red lights are controlled by a human. It's not systematic. The human can turn on the red lights without notice. There should be yellow first, but it doesn't have to be the case depending on how swift the activation is.

This is exactly why imho a dash cam is a necessity today.

Rules:
1.. RED stay where you are - Do Not Move.
2.. Flashing Yellow / Green ( yes I have seen flashing Red in Canada) TURN ONLY if No Oncoming Traffic.
2.. No Left Turn lane set of siginals, then default to # 2.

as to the Right turn on RED, it WILL depend an the jurisdication you are in; shown in one of the picture it forbids Any turn on Red.
Some jurisdication like NYS_NYC it is NO TURN ON RED, ( there are no signs to remind out-of-nyc drivers) Except where posted.
In NYS_Nassau it is ok to turn Right on Red EXCEPT where posted.

Remember the MUTCD is only a Reference Standard, it has to adopted in full or parts of to become Law.

for many decades, and in multiple states, is that a left turn arrow signals that you can make a left turn and have the right-of-way. (The oncoming traffic has a red light so you do not have to worry about it.)

A green light (the circular signal) means that the oncoming traffic is free to proceed and that THEY have the right-of-way. You CAN turn left, but only when the turn will not conflict with oncoming traffic.

- Tom -

If you have a green left turn arrow ( or not ) and you're making a "U-TURN" AND someone is making a right hand turn on red in the same direction you'll be going after the completion of your "U-TURN", the person making the right hand turn usually has the right of way.

Red light on left turn lane is no go and green light on left turn lane is proceed with caution. In heavy traffic areas, left turn green arrow is to give left turn right-of-way until yellow arrow transitions right-of=way to on-coming traffic, so left turn can still turn with caution. Sometimes, yellow arrow can stay on or flashes or disappear, so left turn is allowed with caution.

I do not ever remember seeing red arrow after green and yellow arrows, otherwise cars will be stuck in middle of the road.

There is one red arrow that is so confusing. The turn lane has a green arrow, then a yellow flashing arrow, then a red arrow, then another flashing yellow arrow. These arrows change fast too. You never know just when it is going to turn and is so dangerous and if you read it wrong the oncoming traffic is coming.
It's a fairly new light and hopefully some day they will see the problem.

Went to TN last week and was able to show daughter what our (TX) lights used to look like. Here, we've got the solid/flashing yellow arrows and green arrow. There, it was green/yellow ball or green arrow.

thanks for the link