In California, when may you legally turn left against a red light, assuming no sign prohibits it and the turn is safe?
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A.
When turning from a one-way street onto a one-way street. Correct
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B.
When oncoming traffic is stopped for a red light.
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C.
When no traffic is visible within one block in either direction.
The answer is "When turning from a one-way street onto a one-way street."
California allows a left turn against a red light only when you are turning from a one-way street onto a one-way street, no sign prohibits the turn, and you have yielded to other vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists with a green light. The 'oncoming stopped' answer carries the right-turn-on-red habit over to left turns, where the manual limits the exception to matching one-way pairs.
The traps in the wrong answers
B. When oncoming traffic is stopped for a red light.
A red light on both roads does not by itself permit a left turn on red; the manual limits the exception to a one-way onto one-way turn made after yielding. Extends the right-turn-on-red rule to left turns whenever the opposing direction is also stopped.
C. When no traffic is visible within one block in either direction.
A clear road does not authorize a left turn on red; the exception applies only to a one-way street onto a one-way street. Substitutes a general clear-road judgment for the specific one-way-onto-one-way configuration the manual names.
This question tests your knowledge of Turning in California. Source: California Driver Manual, "Left Turn Against a Red Light," p.20..
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