Atlanta lawmakers are considering a new city ordinance that would make turning right at red stoplights illegal in certain neighborhoods.
Several members of the Atlanta City Council introduced the plan at a meeting earlier this week, FOX 5 Atlanta reported.
The ordinance would make turning right on red illegal in Downtown, Midtown and Castleberry Hill.
The proposal is supported by 11 of the 16 members of the city council. They say the three neighborhoods named in the ordinance are home to cultural attractions, businesses and homes that bring in heavy pedestrian traffic.
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Officials argue the ordinance would make these neighborhoods safer for pedestrians and foster “a sense of community, encourage social interaction, and support local businesses, therefore contributing to the overall quality of life.”
Councilman Jason Dozier, who co-sponsored the legislation, told Fox News Digital that he proposed the ordinance because Atlanta has seen a significant rise in pedestrian injuries and fatalities due to car collisions.
“We’ve seen a 50% increase in pedestrian deaths since 2020, and 38 pedestrians died on Atlanta’s streets last year as a consequence,” Dozier said in an emailed statement. “When cars are allowed to turn at red lights, they typically creep into crosswalks, with drivers looking only for oncoming cars rather than pedestrians or cyclists. Even worse, vehicle sizes have ballooned over the last 20 years, so even if a driver were looking for a pedestrian, bigger blind spots and narrower sight lines make it difficult to see them….
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