No more turning at red traffic arrows in Nebraska starting July 19

A new state statute goes into effect Friday, July 19 prohibiting left and right turns at intersections with red turn arrows.

• The new law is meant to make the roads throughout our neighborhoods safer for both drivers and pedestrians alike.
• The Nebraska Department of Transportation reports higher traffic fatality rates this year compared to last.
• You can read the details of the statute by clicking here.

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:

When you are exiting I-80 westbound at 84th Street, you come to this intersection where you clearly see the sign that says, ‘No turn on red.’

That sign won’t be necessary come Friday, because a new state statute will go into effect in Nebraska that prohibits both left and right turns at stoplights that have a red arrow.

That includes turning on to one-way streets.

So now you must stop and wait at these turn signals until they turn green – regardless of what the traffic is like at the time.

The new law is meant to make the roads throughout our neighborhoods safer for both drivers and pedestrians alike.

According to the Nebraska Department of Transportation, traffic fatalities in the state are up 22 percent this year compared to this time last year.

That trend is seen in pedestrian fatalities, too. 11 pedestrians have died in traffic so far this year in Nebraska – more than double the fatalities at this same time in 2023.

Again – the new law goes into effect Friday, July 19th.

In Omaha I’m Zach Williamson.