Beginning in the new year, drivers in D.C. will be prohibited from making right turns on red unless a sign indicating permission has been installed by the District Department of Transportation. The change will take place at approximately half of DC’s 1,600 intersections and
The D.C. Council, however, did not allocate funds to publicize the new law to drivers, which will result in limited enforcement across the District. Per FOX 5’s Tom Fitzgerald, “The Safer Streets Amendment Act of 2022 mandated that the D.C. Council budget $385,000 for signage at the District’s borders before enforcement was scheduled to begin in 2025; however, this funding was never secured, according to Sharon Kershbaum, director of D.C.’s Department of Transportation.
Kershbaum indicated that the ban will only be enforced at approximately half of the District’s 1,600 intersections. “They did not allocate any resources for this initiative. At DDOT, we are committed to enhancing intersection safety, so we have prioritized areas that require immediate attention and installed signs accordingly,” Kershbaum explained.
This change marks the end of a long-standing practice that was initially legalized during an oil crisis. The new regulation stems from the Safer Streets Amendment Act of 2022, which also permits cyclists, scooters, and other mobility devices to perform “Idaho Stops”—treating stop signs as yield signs—only when intersections are clear of pedestrians and vehicles.
“This change acknowledges that our current traffic laws were primarily designed for cars, not bicycles, leading to regulations that may inadequately address the safety of all roadway users,” stated Mary Cheh, the former D.C. Councilmember for Ward 3, in 2022, when the act was introduced. “Modifying these laws will enhance safety for everyone on the road.”