You are used to it, but the tourists are being sincere when they say that driving in Louisiana is uniquely confusing. It is not just that New Orleans is crescent-shaped, such that two points are much closer or farther away from each other than they seem, as if the city follows the laws of non-Euclidean geometry. It is not just that the streetcar tracks run through the neutral ground, and every time the streetcar passes, it gives off an odor reminiscent of burnt veggie burgers. The streets of New Orleans and other cities in Louisiana are just plain weird. There are no grid patterns here. You are lucky to drive four blocks without encountering a one-way street, and parking lots are so scarce that there are cars parked all the way up and down the sides of the streets.
Almost everyone who has parallel parked on the street in Louisiana has returned to find that some confused driver hit their parked car. Who wouldn’t be confused when a red light not only means go, but can also mean turn left? If you have been injured in a car accident resulting from confusion about Louisiana’s bizarre traffic laws, contact a Houma car accident lawyer.
Only in Louisiana Can You Turn Left on Red
By the time you get a driver’s license, you know that traffic light laws are not quite as simple as always going when the light is green and always stopping when it is red. If you are in the right lane, you can turn right at a red light unless there is a “no turn on red” sign posted at the intersection. When turning at a red light, you must observe the same caution that you would use when turning right at a stop sign.
You probably also use caution when turning left at stop signs, but did you know that, in Louisiana, you can also turn left at a red light? If you are in the left lane, Louisiana law allows you to make a left turn at a red light, provided that there is no traffic in your way, that you are turning onto a one-way street, and that there is no sign saying that left turns are prohibited.
When Does a Traffic Light Become a Stop Sign?
When traffic lights are not functioning, you should not just ignore them; instead, you should treat them like stop signs. If all the lights are out at an intersection, or if they are all flashing, you should follow the same rules that you would follow at an all-way stop. If a traffic light is stuck on red, it might be because its sensors did not notice your car as it approached the intersection. Try moving your car slightly forward and backward to alert the sensors to your presence. If that does not cause the light to turn, then just follow the rules you would follow at a stop sign and turn or drive straight when you can do so safely.
Contact the Law Office of Patrick H. Yancey About Car Accident Cases
A personal injury lawyer can help you if you were injured in an accident where a traffic light was not working properly Contact the Law Office of Patrick H. Yancey in Houma, Louisiana to set up a consultation about your case.
Sources
https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=88199#:~:text=C.,provisions%20of%20R.S.%2032%3A234.
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