Right Turn on Red: Safety Concerns
Posted: 2/28/2026
WEBINAR: March 11, 2026, 12:00PM - 1:00PM PT
The California Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety (CBPS) Coalition presents a critical webinar examining the safety implications of Right Turn On Red (RTOR) maneuvers for vulnerable road users. The session explores recent research challenging long-held assumptions about this widespread traffic practice.
Key Findings & Learning Outcomes:
- RTOR movements significantly increase safety risks for pedestrians, & drivers
- Environmental benefits of RTOR are marginal compared to safety concerns
- Drivers focusing on left traffic create dangerous conflicts with pedestrians on the right
- Evidence-based insights to inform policy decisions around RTOR operations
- Understanding safety trade-offs to reduce pedestrian fatalities
Researchers:
- Dr. Bruce Appleyard, San Diego State University
- Dr. Anurag Pande, Cal Poly
Right-Turn-On-Red
A permissible RTOR was introduced back in the 1970s as a fuel savings measure but has since shown the potential to be detrimental to crosswalk pedestrians.
While the vehicle code requires motorists to come to a full stop and yield to cross street traffic, many motorists do not fully comply and can endanger pedestrians.
