Left-turning drivers with green arrows have right of way when making U-turns

A U-turn can come in handy for drivers needing to quickly reverse course. And in many cases in Minnesota, making the 180-degree turn is perfectly legal.

But just because a U-turn is permissible doesn’t mean the risky maneuver should done, said Matt Moseley, supervisor of driving programs at AAA Minneapolis.

“We should always be asking ourselves: Is it legal, is it safe, is it worth it?” he said.

That brings us to a question from Drive reader Kim Johnson, who wrote in a few months ago (sorry for the delay, Kim). She wanted to know who has the right of way in a case where a motorist in a left-turn lane with a green arrow makes a U-turn while a driver on the cross street wants to make a right turn on red, potentially putting them in the same path.

“The car making the right turn cannot see when the green arrow comes on,” Johnson wrote.

A robust discussion on the topic broke out on Reddit a few months back.

Motorists with a green arrow are given what is called a protected turn, and that gives them the right of way, Moseley said.

“When you are turning right on red, you are yielding to everyone, including the U-turner, which is usually more unexpected because we are worried about the cross traffic,” he said.

But that does not absolve the driver making a U-turn of any responsibility. The onus still remains on the driver making the U-turn to avoid a collision, even if they technically have the right of way, Moseley said.

“Often the right-on-red turner will not even notice the U-turner,” he said.

And, he added, in this scenario, it may not be worth making the U-turn if the motorist turning right on red is not making eye contact as the maneuver is being completed, Moseley said.

In short, both drivers must pay attention and look out for each other to avert a mishap.

In cases in which a driver encounters a flashing yellow left-turn arrow, the rules are a little more gray. A flashing light means proceed with caution and yield right of way to vehicles and pedestrians already in the intersection.

Drivers making a U-turn at an intersection with a flashing yellow “must yield to oncoming vehicles that are close enough to be an immediate hazard,” the Minnesota Driver’s Manual states.

Motorists making right turns must always come to a complete stop at a red light before proceeding. “Watch for oncoming cars making left turns [and U-turns]. Sometimes oncoming traffic will have a green arrow before your light turns green,” the manual states.

Drivers may not make a U-turn unless the movement can be made “safely and without interfering with other traffic,” state law says.

In Moseley’s words: “Is it worth it? Is it safe?”

U-turns are illegal on a freeway, near the tops of hills and on curves where oncoming drivers cannot see a motorist making a U-turn from a minimum of 1,000 feet away, or where signs prohibit the movement.

Starting June 2, riders of Minnesota Valley Transit Authority routes 436, 440, 442, 446 and 489 will have to board at a designated stop and will no longer be able to flag down a bus, like signaling for a taxi, to catch a ride.

“Fixed stops can improve rider experience by making it clear where riders can board the bus and reducing potential missed pick-ups,” the agency said. “Fixed stops eliminate unplanned stops [and] can lead to more reliable scheduling and on-time performance.”