How To Make a Left Turn at a Traffic Light?

For any driver, one of the most dangerous things we can do while driving is a left turn at a traffic light. This is not to say that it can’t be done safely. There are risks associated with this maneuver that we must all recognize and not take for granted. Here are a few tips to help make the turn the safest you can make it. First, let’s understand why the left turn at a traffic light is so dangerous before going through ways to reduce the risks and make a safe turn.

Begin Making The Left Turn

To begin with, you’re making that turn across the path of oncoming traffic. That’s the most significant risk you have, but there is another. When you have a green light, the pedestrians will have their crosswalk light lit up, permitting them to walk through the crosswalk. That would mean that you are driving through their crosswalk as you turn. We need a way to make this turn that helps to keep us and other road users safe. Let’s begin with turning left at a small intersection with no traffic island beside you, just yellow lines.

The Traffic Lights Have Turned Green

Check all directions once the traffic lights turn green to ensure no one has run through the red light before you come off your brake pedal. Once it’s clear, ease off the brake and let the front of your vehicle get past the crosswalk or edge of the road. You have entered the intersection and assumed the waiting position by doing so. As many drivers do, keep your wheels straight while waiting instead of angling them. This will allow you to accelerate straight ahead if you need to abandon the turn for any reason. Enter the intersection as little as possible. This will help to improve your visibility past other vehicles stopped waiting to make a left turn in the opposite direction. Going too far forward can reduce your visibility and make the left turn riskier.

While You’re Waiting

While you’re waiting, have constant glances ahead toward the oncoming traffic looking for a gap you can drive through, then the traffic lights in case they change, the crosswalk to your left for any pedestrians or cyclists to cross, and then your rear-view mirror for traffic which may be approaching quickly from behind. Continue this observation cycle as you wait for an opening, and once the gap approaches, slowly move forward. This movement allows you to exit the intersection slightly sooner, which may help traffic behind get an opportunity to enter the intersection to make their left turn before the light changes. Before steering, check your left blind spot for any pedestrians or cyclists going through the crosswalk. If it’s all clear, look into the new lane where you want to end up and accelerate smoothly while steering.

The Traffic Lights Have Turned Yellow

If the traffic light changes to yellow, slowly move the vehicle and proceed after the last vehicle goes through the intersection. Remember, just because the traffic lights change from green to yellow doesn’t mean the oncoming traffic will always stop.

Making a Left Turn with a Traffic Island

Attempting a left turn at an intersection with a traffic island can be a little more complicated, but not impossible. Although some may be tempted to enter the intersection and angle their vehicle and wheels, this is not a good position. If hit from behind, you would go directly into the oncoming traffic and possibly be injured from being hit both in the rear and head-on. There is a better and safer way to wait.

Approach The Crosswalk

As you approach the crosswalk with the traffic island on your left, stay toward the right side of the turning lane. Once you reach approximately two car lengths from the end of the traffic island, begin to drift toward the end of the traffic island slowly and gradually. Once the light has turned green and you have checked the intersection to ensure it’s clear to enter, ease off the brake and continue into the intersection on that slight angle until you can see past the vehicles in the opposite turning lane. From that point, straighten the vehicle to it is again parallel with the other lanes and stop your vehicle.

Similar to when you were waiting to make a left turn without a traffic island beside you, have constant glances ahead toward the oncoming traffic to look for a gap in the traffic you can drive through. From there, glance at the traffic lights in case they change, then the crosswalk to your left to look for any pedestrians or cyclists who may be crossing, and then your rear-view mirror for traffic approaching quickly from behind you. Keep looking at all these places as you wait for an opening in the oncoming traffic, and once the gap does approach, slowly begin to move forward.

Progressing at a Slow Pace

Moving forward will help you exit the intersection a little sooner, which may help traffic behind to get an opportunity to enter the intersection to make their left turn safely before the traffic light changes from green to yellow. Just before you begin steering to make your turn, check your left blind spot in case any pedestrians or cyclists are going through the crosswalk. If everything is all clear, look into the new lane where you want to go and steer while accelerating smoothly.

If the traffic light changes to yellow, slowly move the vehicle forward and proceed after the last vehicle goes through the intersection. Again, just because the traffic lights may change from green to yellow doesn’t mean the oncoming traffic will always stop in time.

Practicing each of these steps will help to make them into a habit, and that will help you make a difference in your safety while making a left turn at a traffic light. If it becomes difficult at different times of day, remember your backup plan – three right turns equal a left turn.