Traffic signals — Virginia Permit Test

At a stop signal you must come to a complete stop at the stop line, or before the crosswalk if there is no line, and stay stopped while the signal holds unless a turn is allowed.

The stop line is set back far enough that people crossing have room to walk in front of you.

come to a complete stop at the stop line or, if there is no stop line, before entering the intersection or before reaching the crosswalk

You may turn right on a stop signal after coming to a complete stop, looking both ways and yielding to people crossing and to other traffic, unless a sign or an arrow forbids it.

The stop is what buys you the look, and a cyclist coming up on your right is easy to miss without it.

Before turning, you must come to a complete stop. Look both ways and yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and other traffic.

You may turn left on a stop signal only when you are on a one-way street turning onto another one-way street, and only after a complete stop.

Both streets running one way is what keeps the turn out of the path of oncoming traffic.

You may turn left at a red light if you are on a one-way street and turning left onto another one-way street while the traffic signal displays a red light.

A stop arrow means you must stop if you mean to travel the way it points, and Virginia law bans turning against it unless a sign at the intersection allows it.

The arrow is aimed at your movement alone, so it stops your turn while other traffic keeps going.

Virginia law prohibits right and left turns at red arrow lights.

At a flashing stop signal you must come to a complete stop and yield to oncoming vehicles and people crossing, then go when the way is clear.

A flashing signal never turns to go, so nothing will tell you when it is your turn but your own look.

At a flashing red light, come to a complete stop and yield to oncoming vehicles and pedestrians. You may go when the way is clear.

A steady caution signal warns the light is about to change: stop if you have not entered the intersection, or go through carefully if stopping is unsafe or you are already inside it.

Speeding up to beat it puts you in the crossing exactly as the other direction gets its turn.

If you have not entered the intersection, stop; or, if unsafe to stop, cautiously go through it. If you are already in the intersection, go through it cautiously. Do not speed up to beat the light.

A flashing caution signal means slow down and go through with care, and it is used where the hazard is higher than normal.

Nobody is being told to stop, so the crossing sorts itself out only if everybody slows.

Flashing yellow light: A flashing yellow light means slow down and proceed with caution.

At a flashing caution arrow you may turn the way it points if the way is clear, yielding to oncoming traffic and to people in the intersection.

The arrow lets you turn but gives you nothing: the gap is yours to judge.

At a flashing yellow arrow, you may turn in the direction of the arrow, if the way is clear. Yield the right-of-way to vehicles coming from the other direction and pedestrians in the intersection.

At a go signal you may proceed if the way is clear, but turning without a go arrow means yielding to oncoming traffic and to people in the crossing.

A go signal gives you the crossing, not the space inside it that somebody is still walking through.

If you are turning without a green arrow, you must yield the right-of-way to vehicles coming from the other direction and pedestrians in the intersection.

When traffic signals are dark because of a power cut, you must stop and treat the intersection as an all-way stop.

With no signal working, nobody has been given the crossing, so everyone has to take a turn.

you are required to stop, proceeding through the intersection as though it were an all-way stop

A lane use signal showing a cross means you may never drive in that lane.

The lane is being run the other way, so a car in it is facing oncoming traffic.

Red X: Never drive in a lane marked with a red X signal.

A lane use signal showing a slanting downward arrow means move out of that lane as soon as you safely can.

The lane is about to be closed or turned around, so it is being emptied ahead of you.

Yellow X or Yellow Diagonal Downward Arrow: These signals mean that you should move out of the lane as soon as safely possible.

A pedestrian hybrid beacon sits above a crossing without a stoplight; when its two upper lights are steady, drivers must stop.

It sits dark until somebody presses it, so a signal you have never seen lit is still a signal.

the top two red lights on the PHB turn solid while a walk signal appears at the crosswalk, and drivers must stop

Where must you stop at a signal showing you must stop?

At the stop line, or before the crosswalk if there is none. The stop line is set back far enough that people crossing have room to walk in front of you. Virginia Driver's Manual, p.5: “come to a complete stop at the stop line or, if there is no stop line, before entering the intersection or before reaching the crosswalk”