Right On Red Turns 45 This Month In Mass, What Took So Long?
Look twice before you go
Taking a legal right turn on red turns 45 years old this month in Massachusetts. It was in January 1979 that we were first able to make the right hand turn at a red light.
We were the last state in the country to make it legal. Why was that?
According to a Harvard Crimson report back in 1979.
They said, Massachusetts is the last state to implement the law. The federal government pushed the law through to make a uniform motor vehicle code, and the government threatened to withhold the state’s national energy funds if the state did not pass the bill.
Governor Edward J. King signed the bill on August 8. 1979
What took so long.
That is a very good question. We do know that Massachusetts has always been very reluctant to follow what every other state wants to do. Perhaps it is the stubborn nature or we do have a tendency to over regulate in the state. The thinking was, it would be very dangerous for pedestrians in the major cities, Boston, especially for drivers to suddenly start taking right hand turns while the light was still red.
We like to things our way
It is amazing to think that although Massachusetts was the last state to allow legal right on red turns. We were the first state in the country to ban happy hour at bars in December 1984.
The governor at the time in Massachusetts was Mike Dukakis. He was never one to shy away from enacting laws that would be wide sweeping. In 1984 there was a rash of drunk, driving incidents that killed innocent drivers and pedestrians. One in particular resulted from the driver over, indulging in a happy hour at a tavern that was offering 2 to 1 drinks
Still not happy
There have been recent attempts in Massachusetts to once again, make happy hour legal. However, these attempts have fallen short, you can still get happy hour, priced food and appetizers but not alcohol. And for some maybe that’s a good idea
Tie it altogether
So, what do the right on red law and no happy hour have in common? Think about it, Massachusetts was reluctant to allow ride on Reds because of safety issues for pedestrians, primarily, and other drivers. It all stems from a public safety standpoint and we know that Massachusetts is always at the forefront of keeping it’s citizens safe.
