Turning On Red Light

Dear Cop,

Is it not legal to make a right hand turn on a red light--after, of course,
making a complete stop first? How about the same right hand turn at a red pedestrian light? One situation that drives me nuts occurs every morning when there is a school bus stopped on the road with its lights and stop sign flashing. Aren't drivers supposed to stop in BOTH directions, REGARDLESS of whether children are crossing the street to board the bus? And I'm betting that drivers MAY NOT turn right until the bus has turned off its warning lights and stop sign, yet I see drivers proceed in both instances every day. What is correct? Thanks for clarification.

K.C.

Answer from Dear Cop

Section 129 (3) of the Motor Vehicle Act indicates that a driver of a vehicle facing a red light must come to a complete stop as close a practicable to any marked crosswalk/stop line in your direction of travel. You must have your right turn indicator light on and after having yielded to all other traffic/pedestrians with the right of way, make your right turn. Failure to come to a complete stop at a red light carries a fine of $167 & 2 points.

Section 149 of the BC Motor Vehicle Act is quite clear on approaching a stopped school bus. When meeting a school bus on any roadway and the school bus is stopped and displaying a sign or signal indicating the school bus is receiving or discharging school children, all vehicles approaching the bus in all directions must stop before reaching the bus. The sign is commonly a stop sign which is mounted on the side of the bus and folds out into the view of oncoming traffic. The signal lights are the highly visible flashing red lights on the bus. The only time that traffic may go pass the bus is when the sign or signal lights are turned off by the driver and the bus begins to move.

Turning right at an intersection in close proximity to a stopped school bus as described above will result in a ticket fine of $167 & 3 points

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