Flashing yellow light

How to read it

The MUTCD says traffic facing a flashing circular yellow at an intersection may cautiously enter it to go straight, turn or make a U-turn, yielding to pedestrians in the crosswalk and vehicles in the intersection, and, when turning left, to oncoming traffic close enough to be an immediate hazard. It does not require a stop. The Uniform Vehicle Code, the model rules of the road, calls it a caution signal. A flashing yellow on its own, above or beside a sign, is a beacon: the MUTCD says it calls for extra attention to the sign’s message, or shows that a rule which does not apply at all times applies now. Pennsylvania’s school zone signals are flashing yellow lights of this kind, on the school zone speed limit signs. This page describes the national standard and isn’t legal advice; the rules at a signal are set by state law and vary from state to state.

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Does a flashing yellow light mean stop?

No. The MUTCD lets traffic enter the intersection without stopping, cautiously and after yielding. California’s handbook says so directly: slow down and be alert, and there is no need to stop. Pennsylvania’s says a flashing yellow means CAUTION, and to slow down, look and proceed with care. Michigan’s says to proceed carefully through the intersection, scanning across traffic in both directions. Florida’s notes that 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.

Flashing yellow one way, flashing red the other

When a full traffic signal switches to flashing operation, MUTCD guidance is to flash yellow for the major street and red for the other approaches. The Manual allows flashing yellow on more than one approach only where those approaches do not conflict with each other, and on an intersection beacon the approaches shown red have STOP signs. Traffic on the yellow street is not required to stop; traffic on the red approaches is.

Look-alikes

A steady yellow light warns that the green is ending and a red light comes next. A flashing yellow arrow applies only to the turn it points to, while oncoming traffic may have a green light.