Continuous flow intersections — Utah Permit Test

At a Utah continuous flow intersection a left-turning driver watches for signs and a signal directing them to turn on the left-hand side of the road.

The left turn happens before the intersection, on the far side of oncoming traffic. Missing the sign means missing the turn entirely.

When making a left turn, watch for signs and a signal directing you to turn on the left-hand side of the road.

A driver crossing a Utah continuous flow intersection obeys a first signal, crosses the oncoming lanes, then obeys a second signal on the far left before turning.

Two signals means two decisions. Treating the first green as permission for the whole move is how drivers end up stranded mid-intersection.

Observe the first traffic signal direction, and proceed when green by crossing the oncoming lanes of traffic. Observe the direction of the second signal, which will be on the far left of the intersection, and proceed when green by making your left-hand turn at the intersection.

A driver traveling straight through a Utah continuous flow intersection should watch for another light just past the intersection, which may be red to let left-turning cars cross in front.

The light after the intersection is the surprise. Drivers accelerate away from a green and meet a red twenty yards later.

When traveling through a continuous flow intersection, proceed as you normally would, but watch for another light just past the intersection.

Free right turns on a red light are restricted at a Utah continuous flow intersection, along with the traditional right on red.

Everywhere else in Utah a right on red is normal. Here it is not, and the habit is what gets a driver into trouble.

Free-right turns during a red light are restricted in this continuous flow intersection, along with a traditional right-on-red.

A driver turning right at a Utah continuous flow intersection yields to traffic, bicyclists, and pedestrians, then merges and keeps going.

A right turn here crosses a bike lane and a crosswalk before it reaches the traffic. All three have to be clear.

When turning right, yield to traffic, bicyclists, and pedestrians.

A four-legged Utah continuous flow intersection works like a regular one but has displaced left turns on every leg rather than on two.

Four displaced turns instead of two means the design you learned on one approach applies to all of them.

A four-legged continuous flow intersection functions as a regular, continuous flow intersection configuration, but with each leg of the intersection operating with displaced left turns instead of only two legs of the intersection.

Where does a left turn begin at a Utah continuous flow intersection?

On the left-hand side of the road. The left turn happens before the intersection, on the far side of oncoming traffic. Missing the sign means missing the turn entirely. Utah Driver Handbook 2026-2027, p.42: “When making a left turn, watch for signs and a signal directing you to turn on the left-hand side of the road.”