The Light That Is Changing
ORC 4511.13 — right on red, left on red from one way to one way, and the two lights that flash
Almost everybody knows what a light means and almost nobody has read the section. It matters at the edges: the turn that is allowed on red, the second turn that is allowed on red and is widely believed not to be, and the yellow, which the section describes as a warning rather than a period of grace.
Steady red: stop at the line, the crosswalk, or before the intersection. A driver facing a steady circular red signal, unless entering the intersection to make a movement another signal permits, stops at a clearly marked stop line; where there is no line, before the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection; and where there is neither, before entering the intersection.
Right on red, after stopping. Traffic facing a steady red signal may, after stopping, enter the intersection to turn right, subject to the provisions that apply after a stop at a stop sign. Local authorities by ordinance, and the director of transportation on state highways, may prohibit a right or a left turn against a steady red at any intersection, and the prohibition is effective when signs giving notice of it are posted there.
Left on red, from a one way into a one way. Unless a sign prohibiting a left turn is in place, traffic facing a steady red on a one way street that intersects another one way street on which traffic moves to the left may cautiously enter the intersection to turn left into that one way street, after stopping and after yielding the right of way to pedestrians lawfully within an adjacent crosswalk and to other traffic lawfully using the intersection.
A steady circular yellow warns the driver that the related green or flashing arrow movement is being terminated, or that a steady red will be shown immediately afterwards, when traffic is not to enter the intersection. The section describes what the yellow tells the driver rather than granting a window to clear on.
The two that flash. Traffic facing a flashing circular red signal stops at a clearly marked stop line, or where there is none, before the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection. Traffic facing a flashing circular yellow may cautiously enter the intersection to proceed straight through or to turn right or left or make a u turn, subject to the rules governing those movements. A flashing green has no meaning under the section and is not used.
| The indication | What the section says |
|---|---|
| The indicationSteady circular red | What the section saysStop at the line, then the crosswalk, then before the intersection |
| The indicationSteady red, turning right | What the section saysPermitted after stopping, as after a stop sign, unless a posted sign prohibits it |
| The indicationSteady red, one way into one way | What the section saysLeft turn permitted after stopping and yielding, unless a sign prohibits it |
| The indicationSteady circular yellow | What the section saysA warning that the green is ending or a red follows immediately |
| The indicationFlashing circular red | What the section saysStop at the line, or before the near crosswalk |
| The indicationFlashing circular yellow | What the section saysCautiously proceed, subject to the rules for the movement |
| The indicationFlashing green | What the section saysNo meaning; not used |
Arrow indications and their own rules, pedestrian signals, lane use control signals, the section's inapplicability to railroad crossings, and camera enforcement, which is its own page on this site, are not covered here. Whether a particular light was red when a particular car entered an intersection is a question of evidence for the case and for a licensed Ohio attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- ORC 4511.13 — Highway traffic signal indications
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Talk to a licensed Ohio attorney about your situation.