Driving guides/What does a flashing yellow light mean?
What does a flashing yellow light mean?
A flashing yellow light means slow down and proceed with caution; a flashing red light means stop, then go when it is safe, exactly as at a stop sign; and a flashing yellow arrow means you may turn but must yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians.
Permit tests ask you to match each flashing and steady light, arrow or colour to what you do. The yellow arrow and the flashing red are the two that get missed most.
Flashing signals at a glance
| Signal | What it means | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Flashing yellow light | A hazard or dangerous intersection ahead; the same meaning as a warning sign. | Slow down and proceed with caution. |
| Flashing red light | The same meaning as a stop sign. | Stop completely, then go when the way is clear. |
| Flashing yellow arrow | A turn in the arrow's direction is allowed, but oncoming traffic has a green light. | Yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians, then turn when safe. |
| Steady yellow arrow | The turn phase is ending and the signal will turn red. | Slow down and prepare to stop. |
| Steady red arrow | No turn in that direction. | Stop and wait; no turns are allowed. |
| Steady green arrow | A protected turn: oncoming traffic is stopped. | Turn, still checking for pedestrians. |
Where you see them
- Flashing yellow lights are used at or just before dangerous intersections, and to draw attention to a warning sign such as a school crossing or a sharp curve (Florida's handbook).
- A flashing red light marks a dangerous intersection and is treated like a stop sign (Florida and North Carolina).
- Flashing yellow arrow signal heads are used for left and right turns (North Carolina's handbook).
If the signal is not working
If a traffic signal is out or flashing because of a malfunction, North Carolina's handbook tells drivers to treat the intersection as if there were a stop sign on every approach, unless an officer or another authorised person is directing traffic.
Related road signs
Keep reading
Common questions
Slow down and proceed with caution. It warns of a hazard or a dangerous intersection and has the same meaning as a warning sign.
Treat it as a stop sign. Stop completely and go only when it is safe to enter the intersection.
You may turn in the direction of the arrow, but you must first yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians.
Treat the intersection as an all-way stop unless an officer or other authorised person is directing traffic.
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Sources, checked 2026-10-08: Florida Driver License Handbook (rev. 08/2023); North Carolina Driver Handbook; Pennsylvania Driver's Manual (PUB 95), Chapter 2: Signals, Signs and Pavement Markings. Written in our own words; follow your state’s manual for the exact wording and numbers.