Left On One Way

Q: In Westbank ......turning left onto a one way street (when the red light is against you.) Is this legal? You are waiting at the red light on the 2-way street and want to turn left onto a 1-way street (which goes to the left). I have been led to believe this is legal in Westbank. Is it legal
anywhere in BC? I had never seen it done anywhere else and would like to
have it confirmed by you.

A: It is legal to make a left turn on a red light from a two way street onto a one way street in British Columbia. I believe that British Columbia is the only province that has this law. The onus is on the driver making the left turn to yield to traffic and pedestrians facing the green light. It is the application of the law by some drivers that make it dangerous.

Red light
Section 129 (4) of the Motor Vehicle Act indicates that when a red light alone is exhibited at an intersection by a traffic control signal
b) except when a left turn permitted by this paragraph is prohibited by a sign at the intersection, the driver of a vehicle facing the red light at the intersection of not more than 2 highways, and which in obedience to it is stopped as closely as practicable to a marked crosswalk on the near side of the intersection, or if there is no marked crosswalk, as closely as practicable to the intersection, may cause the vehicle to make a left turn into a highway on which traffic is restricted to the direction(one way street) in which he or she causes the vehicle to turn, but the driver must yield the right of way to all pedestrians and vehicles lawfully proceeding as directed by the signal at the intersection.

Constable R.A.(Richard) ASELTON
Central Okanagan Traffic Services - Media Liaison
Kelowna R.C.M.P. Detachment

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