As student drivers settle into their commute times for the school year, students may be forced to extend them, as over 200 new “no turn on red signs” have been added across Montgomery County as part of the Safe Streets Act of 2023.
These signs prohibit drivers from turning right after a full stop at a red light, a practice standard across most of the rest of the country, and carry a possible fine of up to $90 and even a license point, consistent with Maryland state law. This is especially notable for students, as any moving violation with a provisional license, which all drivers under 18 years old have, results in a suspension of the license.
The change comes just months after a similar law was passed nearby in Washington, D.C., banning all rights-on-red across the district. In the past, these signs were scattered only sparingly around the area, essentially exclusively at blind turns, where making the right turn would be unsafe due to possibly not visible traffic coming in the other direction. This new addition expands the signs to significantly more intersections, even those without blind turns.
According to the Montgomery County Department of Transportation, the signs are concentrated in areas with large numbers of pedestrians and have a stated goal of increasing pedestrian and cyclist safety at busy intersections. A close-by example of this is directly outside Fallsgrove Village Shopping Center, where four no-turn-on-red signs prevent drivers from turning in or out of the shopping center on red lights, decreasing the likelihood of pedestrian collisions in the walkways. “You just gotta be a safe driver [and can’t be] missing those red lights,” junior driver Dylan Parry said.
However, the removal of being able to turn right on red could extend wait times at intersections and increase traffic, possibly adding to students’ commute times in the morning and afternoon. Junior Elena Bernal said that the newly-added signs would make her commute to and from school longer, but, “It makes me feel good that we’re taking regulations,” Bernal said.
In addition to the signs, Montgomery County recently added 140 new speed cameras and 76 new red light cameras across the county, according to Moco Show. These safety measures will slow or fine speeding drivers and prevent the running of red lights, further increasing pedestrian safety. “I don’t really speed anyway,” junior driver Armaan Chawla said, stating he is not concerned about receiving speeding tickets.
The driving changes, despite their potential for slowing down the roads, have been praised by county leaders, as they stay committed to decreasing pedestrian accidents. “With the Safe Streets Act, we are taking action to ensure our streets are safe for pedestrians and cyclists when going to school, to work, or while enjoying our downtown areas. I was pleased to sign into law this bill, which was passed unanimously by the County Council,” County Executive Marc Elrich said, according to Moco Show.
