Most of us have turned ‘right on red’ at stoplights here in Atlanta as a way to make the seemingly endless traffic move a little faster. But a recent Atlanta City Council vote is making that illegal in some parts of the city in 2025.
On January 8th, Atlanta City Councilman Jason Dozier introduced legislation that would ban turning right on red in certain parts of the city. The affected areas would be Downtown, Midtown, and Castleberry Hill, all of which are high pedestrian traffic.
The Atlanta City Council approved the right on red ban, and it will go into effect at the end of 2025.
In an interview with Rough Draft Atlanta, Councilman Dozier said, “Downtown Atlanta, Midtown, and Castleberry Hill have the highest density of pedestrian activity in the city … and we want to make sure that pedestrians, whether they work or live or play — if they are in town for a Atlanta United match or with the World Cup coming — that they will feel safe and secure.”
How will this help Atlanta?
This ban on turning right on red will help Atlantan pedestrians feel safer crossing the street. Dozier told Rough Draft Atlanta, “In the year 2024 … we are at a 40-year high when it comes to pedestrian fatalities and injuries when it comes to collisions with cars.”
With this new legislation, Dozier hopes that the number of injuries and even deaths caused by cars will decrease significantly.
Of course, with the laws as they are now, drivers are still supposed to come to a complete stop at red lights, check for pedestrians, and never cover the crosswalks. But too often, it seems, drivers either don’t see pedestrians on the crosswalk, or, in their perpetual rush, they don’t come to a complete stop.
Banning turning right on red in some spots is a great win for Atlanta pedestrians. These new regulations will help keep Atlantans safe!