Right turn on red? With pedestrian deaths rising, US cities are considering bans

CHICAGO (AP) — Almost every major city in the United States generally allows drivers to turn right at red lights, but that could be changing. A dramatic rise in automobile accidents killing or injuring pedestrians and bicyclists has led to a myriad of policy and infrastructure changes. The debate over whether to ban right on red has sparked the most intense sentiments on both sides. Washington, D.C.’s City Council last year approved a right-on-red ban that takes effect in 2025. Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle have considered it too. Most U.S. cities have maintained the right-on-red rule since a 1970s mandate from the federal government aimed at conserving energy by preventing cars from idling at stop lights.