Before turning right on red after a stop, what must you do?

• A. After a full stop and yielding to pedestrians and other traffic, unless signs prohibit it.
• B. Yield to pedestrians only, not traffic.
• C. Turn immediately if there is no cross traffic.
• D. Never turn right on red.

Answer: (B)

When turning right on red, you must come to a full stop and yield to anyone who has the right of way on the cross street. That means stopping for pedestrians in the crosswalk and waiting for any vehicles that are nearby or approaching. Only proceed when the way is clear and it’s safe to turn, and if there’s a sign that prohibits right turns on red, you must not turn at all.

This rule protects pedestrians and prevents collisions with cross-traffic. The idea that you only yield to pedestrians ignores vehicles that may be moving through the intersection, and turning immediately when there’s no cross traffic can still put pedestrians at risk. Saying you can never turn on red is not universally true, since many intersections allow it when signs permit.