This Doesn’t Feel Right, Can You Turn Left At A Red Light In Texas?

We have all faced the struggle of driving under a time crunch. It's always so inconvenient isn't it? Needing to be somewhere and things just aren't going your way on the roads.

Cars are driving too slow, there just has to be construction at that one point in the day...What else could possibly stop you from getting to where you need to go? Well the one thing that always seems to know how to stop us when in a hurry: a traffic light.

Yes, traffic lights. Their name says it all, the control the flow of congestion in the Lone Star State. But they also have sixth sense sometimes when it comes to when someone is in pinch. We've all been stopped by a traffic light at the worst time haven't we?

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But what if there was a way to shave some time off, and not by speeding? Well, we're in luck because there is a way.

Can You Turn Left At Red Lights In Texas?

So let's go back to our imaginary situation. Let's say you have to turn left at a red light. You ponder if it's alright to make the turn, even though it's red.

As it turns out, there are factors that would let you turn left at a red light in Texas. The Texas Transportation Code even helps justify when someone can do so. The situation is as follows, with a little help in clarification from CW 39:

- They have stopped at the intersection;
- They have yielded the right-of-way to pedestrians and other traffic;
- If both intersecting streets are one-way streets.

Also remember that if a sign is posted prohibiting the maneuver, it's best to just wait it out. Drive safe Texas!