Is it legal to pull into an intersection while waiting to turn left in Missouri?
Every driver has felt the frustration of being stuck in the left turn lane, whether it’s them waiting for the turn to be safe or waiting for another driver to make the turn.
Some drivers like to creep into the middle of the intersection while waiting, even if the time for them to turn doesn’t come until after the traffic light turns red. It’s a move the city of Springfield calls “being in control of the intersection.”
“Vehicles that legally enter a signalized intersection have the right to be there until they can safely clear the intersection,” the city of Springfield said on its website. “This means if you are making a left turn at an intersection that has a solid green light for the turn lane and you are in the intersection before the light turns red, you are still required to yield to approaching vehicles, but you are allowed to make the turn in safety after the light turns red.
“You do not have to be out of the intersection before the light turns red.”
Does this guidance apply to Kansas City or any other municipalities in Missouri? Is it legal in Missouri to pull into an intersection while waiting to turn left?
Here’s what state laws say.
Is it illegal to wait in an intersection to turn left in MO?
There is no Missouri law or statute that specifically addresses if it’s illegal to wait in the middle of an intersection to turn left, Missouri State Highway Patrol spokesperson Corporal Justin Ewing said. If a person enters the intersection lawfully, meaning on a green or yellow light, they would not be in violation of a state law.
Ewing said that drivers should practice safe driving by remaining at the stop line designated by the lines in the intersection and waiting to turn once the intersection is clear, if the driver has a solid green or yellow light. This would prevent a driver from being in the middle of an intersection when the light turns red, he said.
“Obviously, if a driver enters the intersection after the light has turned red, they would be in violation of the signal and they could be cited,” Ewing said.
Red light violations are class C misdemeanors in Missouri and if a driver is caught, they may be charged with a fine of up to $750 and/or up to 15 days in jail. Points are also added to your driver’s record, which can lead to a suspended license.
Occasionally, Ewing said, he’ll see two opposing drivers enter the intersection to make a left turn instead of waiting at the stop line, which can prevent the driver from seeing oncoming traffic and makes it more difficult for a driver to know when the intersection is clear for them to turn.
Is it illegal to wait in an intersection to turn left in Kansas City?
There is no city ordinance in Kansas City that states it’s illegal for drivers to wait in the middle of an intersection to turn left.
A city code does say this about drivers and left turns:
“The driver of a vehicle intending to turn to the left shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle approaching from the opposite direction which is so close as to constitute an immediate hazard.”
A different code in Kansas City’s ordinances says this about drivers entering traffic-obstructed intersections:
“No driver shall enter an intersection or a marked crosswalk or drive onto any railroad grade crossing unless there is sufficient space on the other side of the intersection, crosswalk or railroad grade crossing to accommodate the vehicle he is operating without obstructing the passage of other vehicles, pedestrians or railroad trains, notwithstanding any traffic control signal indication to proceed.”
This story was originally published December 7, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
