Atlanta legislators are examining a new city ordinance which would make it illegal to turn right at red traffic lights in certain neighborhoods.
FOX 5 Atlanta reported that several members of the Atlanta City Council presented the plan during a meeting this week.
In Downtown, Midtown and Castleberry Hill, it would be illegal to turn right on red.
Eleven of the sixteen members of the City Council support the proposal. The three neighborhoods that are named in the ordinance, they say, have cultural attractions, businesses and residences that attract a lot of pedestrian traffic.
TSA Director Arrested by US CUSTOMS and BORDER PROTECTION
Atlanta leaders are considering a ban on right turns at intersections where the traffic light is red. (CyberGuy.com)
Officials claim that the ordinance will make these neighborhoods safer and encourage “social interaction and support local business, thus contributing to overall quality of living.”
The ordinance was proposed by Councilman Jason Dozier who is also the co-sponsor of the bill. He told Fox News Digital he did so because Atlanta has experienced a dramatic increase in pedestrian accidents and deaths due to auto collisions.
Dozier stated in an email that “we’ve seen a 50 percent increase in pedestrian fatalities since 2020. 38 pedestrians were killed on Atlanta’s roads last year because of this.” When cars are allowed turn at red light, they creep into the crosswalks. Drivers look only for cars coming towards them, not pedestrians or bicycles. The size of vehicles has increased over the past 20 years. This makes it even more difficult for drivers to spot pedestrians, as they have larger blind spots and narrower vision lines. This legislation aims to protect the space provided by our cities for pedestrians at crosswalks.
Several U.S. cities are considering banning the right turn on red due to a dramatic increase in pedestrian and bicycle accidents.
NEW TECH PROMISES TO IMPROVE TRAFFIC FLOW IN MAJOR CITIES, EXPERTS SAY
A highway is seen in Atlanta, Georgia on June 28, 2023. (Alyssa pointer/Bloomberg/Getty Images)
Washington, D.C. City Council approved in 2023 a ban on right turns on red which will take effect in 2025. The transition plan of the new Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson called for “restricting rights turns on red,” however, his administration has not provided any specifics. Ann Arbor, Michigan’s college town, has banned right turns on red lights within the downtown area.
San Francisco’s leaders voted recently to ask their transportation agency to prohibit right-on-red across the entire city. Other major cities, such as Los Angeles and Seattle, have also looked at bans.
New York City prohibits right turns at red light. Signs are posted in Manhattan to remind drivers not to perform this common maneuver.
No recent studies have been conducted to determine how many people are injured or killed in the United States by drivers who turn right.
US Pedestrian Deaths in 2022: Highest Number for More Than 40 Years. REPORT
In recent years, several U.S. towns have banned right turns at stoplights that are red due to an increase in pedestrian accidents. (Steve Pfost/Newsday via Getty Images).
Both supporters and opponents of the bans cite a report from 1994 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which was presented to Congress. The report analyzed data for four years from Indiana and Maryland as well as three years from Illinois. The report recorded 558 injuries crashes and 4 fatalities due to right turns at red.
FOX 5 Atlanta reported that according to Propel ATL’s data, an organization which advocates for transit and pedestrian safety, in Atlanta 38 pedestrians will die in accidents in 2022. This is a 23% increase over the 2021 casualties.
According to FOX 5 Atlanta, the group reported that only 10% of Atlanta streets are responsible for 60% of all pedestrian and bicycle accidents and half of the fatalities.
Click Here to Download the FOX News App
Dozier stated that “even though we refer to this legislation as a pedestrian and motorist law, it is really a policy for people, aimed at protecting them, especially our most vulnerable residents.”
He explained that “people want to feel safe and something as simple and easy as making it easier to cross the road for families goes a long ways towards creating a community and culture centered around safety.” This is important to our local businesses, as increased foot traffic will lead to more sales and revenue. Businesses flourish where people want them to. We witnessed this during the pandemic, as restaurants moved their dining areas onto sidewalks and into parking spaces that had been reclaimed. This legislation promotes walkability, which is good for local economies and people.
Atlanta City Council Transportation Committee is scheduled to discuss the ordinance next Wednesday.
This report was contributed by The Associated Press.