Traffic signals — North Carolina Permit Test

A circular green signal means you may proceed cautiously straight through or turn, but turning vehicles must yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians.

Green is permission to go, not a promise that the way is clear. The oncoming car has the same green you do.

A circular green signal means you are permitted to proceed cautiously straight through or make a turn. Turning vehicles must yield the right of way to oncoming traffic and pedestrians.

A circular yellow signal means caution: the light is about to turn red, so stop unless you are too close to stop safely, and never speed up to beat the red.

Yellow is the warning that red is coming. Racing it means arriving in the intersection as the cross traffic gets its green.

Stop for a yellow signal unless you are too close to the intersection to stop safely — in that case, drive cautiously through the intersection. Never speed up for a yellow signal to “beat” the red signal.

A steady red circular signal means stop; unless a sign says NO TURN ON RED, you may turn right after coming to a complete stop and yielding to traffic and pedestrians.

The right turn on red is allowed because it crosses nobody’s green. The stop first is what makes that true.

Unless there is a sign indicating “NO TURN ON RED,” a right turn can be made after coming to a complete stop.

Drivers turning right on red must yield to pedestrians in the intersection and to those nearby starting to cross in front of the stopped traffic; failing to yield carries a penalty of $100 to $500.

The pedestrian has the walk signal while you have the red. The turn is a courtesy the law lets you take, not a right over them.

Failure to yield to a pedestrian under these circumstances will result in a penalty of not more than $500 and not less than $100.

A green arrow is a protected movement: you may cautiously enter the intersection to make the movement the arrow shows.

Protected means the conflicting traffic has a red. It is the one time a left turn does not have to wait for a gap.

A green arrow means that you have a “protected” movement and are permitted to cautiously enter the intersection to make the movement indicated by the arrow.

A red arrow means turning traffic must stop, and a yellow arrow means the protected green arrow is about to end.

The arrow speaks to the turning lane alone. A red arrow stops the turn even while the through lanes have green.

A red arrow means turning traffic must stop.

U-turning traffic must yield to opposing right-turning traffic when both have a green arrow at the same time.

Both arrows send cars into the same lane. The U-turn is the bigger move, so it is the one that waits.

U-turning traffic should yield to opposing right turning traffic when both movements simultaneously have their respective green arrow.

At a signal that shows both arrow and circular signals, turning traffic follows the arrows and through traffic follows the circular signals; if no arrow is shown, the circular signal controls both.

When an arrow is lit, it is talking to the turning lane and the round light is talking to everyone else.

When arrow and circular signals are both displayed, turning traffic is controlled by the arrow signals and through traffic is controlled by the circular signals.

At an intersection whose traffic light has failed, proceed as though a stop sign controls every approach, unless an officer or another device is directing traffic.

A dark signal gives nobody the right of way. Treating it as a four-way stop gives everyone the same rule.

When approaching an intersection with a traffic light that has malfunctioned due to a power outage or some other problem, you should approach the intersection and proceed as though the intersection is controlled by a stop sign on all approaches to the intersection.

The flashing red signal means the same as a stop sign: stop and do not proceed until you can enter the intersection without interfering with approaching traffic.

Flashing red is a stop sign made of light. You stop, and you go when it is clear, not when the light changes.

The flashing red signal has the same meaning as the stop sign: stop and do not proceed to move until you can enter the intersection without interfering with approaching traffic.

The flashing yellow signal means the same as a warning sign: slow down and proceed with caution.

Flashing yellow marks a place where something needs care, a hidden crossing or a side road. It asks for attention, not a stop.

The flashing yellow signal has the same meaning as a warning sign. Slow down and proceed with caution.

A flashing yellow arrow means the turn is permitted, but you must yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians; a solid yellow arrow means prepare to stop, and a solid red arrow means stop with no turns allowed.

The flashing arrow is the signal’s way of saying “you may turn, but it is on you to find the gap.”

When the flashing yellow arrow is shown, the indicated turn is permitted but drivers must yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians.

A ramp meter signal controls traffic entering a freeway: stop on red, proceed and merge on green, and if the signal is dark, enter the freeway by merging as normal.

A ramp meter spaces cars out so they merge one at a time. When it is off, the ramp is just a ramp.

When the display is dark or not emitting a red or green display, a vehicle may proceed without stopping and enter the freeway by merging or yielding as normal conditions allow.

A hybrid beacon at a mid-block crosswalk stays dark until activated, then flashes yellow, goes steady yellow, then steady red while pedestrians cross; when it begins flashing red, vehicles may proceed after a complete stop once the crosswalk is clear.

The flashing red at the end works like a stop sign: stop, make sure the crosswalk is empty, and then go.

After the pedestrians or emergency response vehicles have cleared the intersection, and after first coming to a complete stop, vehicles may begin moving while the beacons are flashing red.

You have a circular green light and want to turn left. What must you do?

Yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians, then turn. Green is permission to go, not a promise that the way is clear. The oncoming car has the same green you do. North Carolina Driver Handbook, p.80: “A circular green signal means you are permitted to proceed cautiously straight through or make a turn. Turning vehicles must yield the right of way to oncoming traffic and pedestrians.”