What does a flashing red traffic light mean?
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A.
Stop only if pedestrians are present.
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B.
Slow down and proceed with caution.
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C.
Stop, then proceed when the intersection is clear. Correct
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D.
The signal is out of service; drive through at normal speed.
The answer is "Stop, then proceed when the intersection is clear."
A flashing red signal has the same meaning as a stop sign: stop, then proceed only when you can enter without interfering with approaching traffic. Drivers who confuse it with a flashing yellow, which does mean slow and proceed with caution, pick B because both signals flash and both feel like warnings rather than stop demands.
The traps in the wrong answers
A. Stop only if pedestrians are present.
The stop is required regardless of whether pedestrians are present. This answer ties the stop to a pedestrian trigger, borrowing from crosswalk yield habits.
B. Slow down and proceed with caution.
The flashing red requires a full stop, not a caution rolldown. This answer applies the flashing yellow rule of slowing without stopping, since both signals flash.
D. The signal is out of service; drive through at normal speed.
A flashing red is a working signal, not an out-of-service marker. This answer reads the pulsing lens as a broken light rather than a required stop.
This question tests your knowledge of Traffic Lights in North Carolina. Source: North Carolina Driver Handbook, "Flashing Signals," p.81..
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