Study Guide: All About Traffic Lights

Traffic lights are something everyone at least knows the basics of – green for go, yellow for caution, and red for stop.

However, for the driver’s test, you need to know the rarer traffic lights.

Traffic Light - Green Traffic Light - Yellow Traffic Light - Red

 

To begin, yellow lights must be more thoroughly explained:

  1. When a light goes from green to yellow that means stop if you can do so safely. If you cannot stop safely, continue through the intersection.
  2. A yellow light does not mean speed up so you can make it through before the light turns red. It is illegal to not stop at a yellow when you have enough time to safely do so.

A good trick is to monitor when a green light is about to turn yellow. You can do this by checking crosswalk signals. If they have turned to a solid DON’T WALK signal, then be prepared to break for yellow.

LESS COMMON TRAFFIC SIGNALS

Green arrow light coupled with another light:

Advance-green(2)• A green arrow coupled with a solid green light means you can either turn in the direction of the arrow, go straight ahead, or turn the other direction through the intersection without stopping.

• A green arrow coupled with a solid red light means you are only permitted to turn in the direction of the arrow and all other traffic must stop.

• A flashing red light with no green arrow means to come to a full stop and then proceed through the intersection. This is the same as what you would do when at a stop sign.

 

A flashing yellow light:

• A flashing yellow light indicates that you must proceed through the intersection with caution, meaning you must proceed slowly and pay close attention to what is going on around you.

A flashing green light:

• A flashing green light means the driver can go ahead and turn left, right or go straight through the intersection without stopping.
• Opposing traffic will be facing a red light. Drivers must still yield to pedestrians or other vehicles lawfully in the intersection.

<< Back to Study Guide     How to drive in a playground zone >>