DRIVERS ED

Traffic Lights

First up, let's talk traffic lights. You're going to see three different colors at a traffic light: red, yellow, and green. Each color has a different meaning.

Red Lights

A red light means stop. The red light will always be on the top of vertical traffic signals or on the left of horizontal traffic signals.

Turning

A steady red light means you should stop completely before entering the crosswalk or intersection. You can make a right turn on red if the lane you're turning into is clear and there are no pedestrians crossing (you must ALWAYS yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk).

You can even sometimes turn left on red! If you're turning from a one-way street onto another one-way street, it's legal to turn left on red.

If you see a sign that looks like this, that means turning on red is not allowed at that intersection:

Flashing Red

A flashing red light means you must stop completely. You may then proceed when you can do so safely. Remember that other vehicles at the intersection may not have to stop like you, so proceed with caution.

Yellow Lights

Yellow means caution. The yellow light will always be the middle light of a traffic light signal.

A steady yellow light means a red light will follow shortly. When you see a yellow light on a traffic light, you must STOP if you can do so safely. If you can't stop safely, then proceed cautiously through the intersection.

Flashing Yellow

A flashing yellow light means yield and proceed with caution. If you want to turn left, you must yield to traffic approaching from the opposite direction.

Flashing Yellow Arrow

A flashing yellow arrow for left turns allows a driver to turn left with caution. The driver must still yield to oncoming traffic.

Green Lights

Green means go, and will always either be the bottom light of a vertical traffic light or the right light on a horizontal traffic light. When a light turns green, be on the lookout for careless drivers who may speed across the intersection in an attempt to beat a red light. Unfortunately, not everyone is an Aceable-quality driver.

Turning at Green Lights

You may also turn (left, right, or U-turn) on a green light, but you must yield the right of way to oncoming traffic first. This is called an unprotected turn. It's "unprotected" because the green light doesn't necessarily mean it's safe to turn – you don't have the right of way unless you're going straight. But as long as your turning path is clear of other roadway users (and there's no sign prohibiting the turn), you can turn at a green light.

A green arrow light indicates that you have a protected turn in the direction the arrow points. It means you have the right of way to turn, and that all other traffic should stay out of your path. While you can feel more confident about a protected turn than an unprotected turn, you should still check your surroundings and proceed only if it's safe.