helping a turtle

Question
Hello, Jamie---Whenever I see a turtle crossing the road, I always pull over and remove it from danger.  My most recent "rescue" was a large individual making its way across a busy highway and leaving a moderately wooded area in an attempt to reach the side with many buildings and few trees.  I took the turtle back to the wooded side and placed him there(about 100ft from the road).  I have a few questions regarding this:

1. Was it the right choice to take the turtle back to the "safer-looking" side, or would it simply attempt to continue in the direction to the other side(with the buildings) once I left?

2.  In the event that both sides of the road appear to be "equally safe", is it best to place the turtle in the area on the side it was heading to?

3.  If the area a turtle is crossing is not ideal(in regards to its safety) on either side, it is ok to remove the turtle from that area and drive it to an area better suited for turtles(near water or trees and away from buildings and roads)?  I wouldn't want to take it away from its home or family but I'm not sure what's best here....

Basically I just want to know the best way to help a turtle once I have removed it from the path of oncoming cars.

Thank you for any insight---Brad

Answer
Hello Brad, thank you for your rescue. It is such a touchy subject. Depending on where you live, there may or may not be laws regarding relocating certain shelled friends.
I personally will move a turtle or tortopise from the road, adn do this frequently. No one wants to hit one nor do we need car accidents and
death related to this.
I have removed them and moved to ponds or woods further down the road.

Odds are it is a female looking for an area to lay as it is season.
She wil look for an area that she feels are fit. then lay her eggs and move herself on
When faced with a situation where a turtle or tortoise is in a safety situation, place them in the safest place, for the shelled and the cars etc who may be in jeopardy. If you somply turn it around, it may or may not run. If not, it will go back where it was on its way already

I have no issue with someone relocating a turtle or tortoise to achieve safety.

I say if there is a large number of cars traveling and there is a chance that hte turtle can return to the same situation, the next person may not be as kind therefor aid relocate to a safe area.

Best to check with local fish and wildlife depending on your state. In Fla it is illegal with charges of molestation of wildlife to move a gopher tortoise, and red ear slidders are now illegal to buyu sell trade and if caught with one in the car you get a fine.
So it all depends on your state.
Please let me know if i can help further