Does Banning Turning Right on Red in Michigan Make Sense?

Turning right on red is one of life's little joys. Even though you're not breaking the law, it kind of feels like it. It's the closest most of us will ever get to living dangerously, unless you count parking on the street during leaf pickup season.

And Michigan drivers in particular? Oh, we LOVE a right-on-red. It's our official state sport. But if Ann Arbor had its way, our tiny slice of legal rule-bending would be ripped from our frost-bitten hands and replaced with a "NO TURN ON RED" sign. Probably printed in maize and blue just to rub it in.

Michigan’s Right-on-Red Rule

Michigan law (MCL 257.612) spells it out: You can turn right on red after stopping, so long as you're not about to plow into a car, a pedestrian, a bicyclist, or someone on an electric scooter. Simple, right?

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Ann Arbor’s Restrictive Ban

Well, not in Ann Arbor. If your travels take you into downtown, you'll be stunned at how many intersections block right-on-red entirely. There are at least 50 lights that prohibit it. Fifty. But why?

Crash Data & Safety Rationale

MLive reports the city rolled out this ban in 2023 to protect pedestrians and cyclists. So...did it work? Well, CBS says 2023 — the very year of the ban — had 12 serious or fatal pedestrian accidents, the most since 2014. And as of September 2025? MLive reports two fatal and 11 serious incidents.

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What Drivers Think — and What’s Next

If you've ever driven through downtown Ann Arbor, this doesn't come as a shock. Pedestrians wander the road like they're lost, cyclists appear from out of nowhere, and delivery vans park wherever gravity allows. It's chaos with parking meters. Throw in impaired and distracted drivers, and regardless of the ban, things seem to be heading in the wrong direction.

The real question is: Will other Michigan cities follow? Maybe. Maybe not. Given the lack of improvement in Ann Arbor's safety, it's safe to say it won't happen anytime soon. But until someone in Lansing declares "no more fun," enjoy your right-on-red while you can. Just stop first. Look around. And please don't honk at the person who's actually doing it right.