A flashing yellow left-turn arrow means that you may turn left:
-
A.
After yielding to oncoming traffic and proceeding with caution. Correct
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B.
With protection from oncoming traffic during the flashing phase.
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C.
Only when a solid green arrow appears later in the cycle.
The answer is "After yielding to oncoming traffic and proceeding with caution."
A flashing yellow left-turn arrow lets you turn left, but the turn is not protected; yield to oncoming traffic and proceed with caution. Drivers who treat every lit left-turn arrow the way they treat the solid green arrow assume oncoming traffic is stopped and skip the yield, which is what makes choice B tempting.
The traps in the wrong answers
B. With protection from oncoming traffic during the flashing phase.
Only the solid green arrow provides a protected left turn; the flashing yellow arrow is explicitly unprotected against oncoming traffic. This answer carries the protected-turn rule from the solid green arrow over to the flashing yellow, assuming any lit left-turn arrow stops the oncoming lane.
C. Only when a solid green arrow appears later in the cycle.
The flashing yellow arrow authorizes the left turn on its own once you yield; no later green-arrow phase is required. This answer reads the flashing yellow arrow as a warning of a coming green arrow the way a solid yellow warns of a coming red, and waits for that phase instead of yielding and turning.
This question tests your knowledge of Traffic Lights in California. Source: California Driver Manual, "Traffic Signals: Flashing Yellow Arrow," p.34..
Related California questions
- A steady red traffic light means you must: →
- What must you do at a flashing yellow traffic light? →
- A green arrow at a traffic light allows you to: →
- At an intersection without a dedicated right-turn lane, you want to turn right at a red light. You may do so only when: →
- You are stopped at a red arrow signal wanting to turn. When may you make the turn? →
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