PHOENIX — Operation Safe Roads is committed to making sure Arizona drivers have clarity for their commute.
An ABC15 viewer sent this email to roads@abc15.com that said, "These days, I see more and more people do this... I haven't been able to validate the legality of it. When a car is stopped at a red light... and if there is a room - not a turn lane... then, I see cars split-filter lanes with the stopped car at the light and turn right. Is it legal?"
The email came from Yaseen Jamaludeen. ABC15 met up with him in Phoenix.
He told ABC15 he moved to the Valley more than a decade ago for work. He is not alone. The latest US Census Data finds Arizona is one of the fastest-growing states in the nation by adding nearly 100,000 people in a one-year period between 2020 and 2021.
"I love this place... I didn't want to move anywhere else," Jamaludeen said with a big smile. "Actually, the heat... the dry heat is something I loved. I didn't know about that until I came here."
With so many new people steering toward the allure of Arizona, he knows he may not be the only one with that traffic question. That is why he emailed Operation Safe Roads.
"I have a no right turn lane, but there is enough wide space for that one lane where people just... the cars just stop on one side and then people make... just squeeze through and then make a right turn."
ABC15 went to the Tempe Police Department's headquarters to ask Jamaludeen's question.
"If the road is wide enough and they can squeeze by to the right and they stay within the road... that means they can't go off-road, they can make that right turn," explained Officer Juan Robles.
He said, if there is a bike lane, drivers need to pay closer attention. If the bike lane is a solid white lane, drivers cannot make that turn. If it is broken up, then drivers can.
Jamaludeen said the answer makes sense to him and he is happy to know the information may also help other commuters in the place he loves to call home.
"If you have questions, please, please hit her up and go ask these questions. Somebody is going to respond. This was pretty quick. I think this is sleek," Jamaludeen laughed.
You can contact Operation Safe Roads through the hotline at 833-AZ-ROADS or send an email to roads@abc15.com.