You're approaching an Oregon intersection when the signal turns to a steady yellow. What does this signal tell you?
-
A.
The signal is about to turn red; stop if you can do so safely. Correct
-
B.
Yield to oncoming traffic and proceed.
-
C.
Stop and wait for the signal to cycle to green again.
-
D.
Speed up to clear the intersection before the light turns red.
The answer is "The signal is about to turn red; stop if you can do so safely."
A steady circular yellow warns that the signal is about to turn red. Oregon's rule is to stop before entering the intersection if you can do so safely; if you cannot, drive carefully through. Drivers who treat the yellow as a countdown to beat the red pick D, but the manual writes that exception for cars already too close to brake, not to authorize speeding up.
The traps in the wrong answers
B. Yield to oncoming traffic and proceed.
Yellow is not a yield signal; it is a warning that the signal is about to turn red. This answer confuses a steady yellow with a flashing yellow arrow, which does allow the movement after yielding to oncoming traffic and pedestrians.
C. Stop and wait for the signal to cycle to green again.
You only stop if you can do so safely. If you are already too close to stop, you drive carefully through. This answer applies the steady-red rule (stop and remain stopped until the signal changes) to a yellow, missing the exception carved out for drivers who cannot brake in time.
D. Speed up to clear the intersection before the light turns red.
Nothing in Oregon's rule instructs you to accelerate; the yellow is a warning to stop if you can. This answer reads a yellow as permission to beat the red, a habit picked up from watching other drivers push through late rather than from any rule in the manual.
This question tests your knowledge of Traffic Lights in Oregon. Source: Oregon Driver Manual, "Traffic Signals," p.15..
Related Oregon questions
- You're approaching an Oregon intersection, intending to drive straight through, and the traffic light is showing a steady circular red. What must you do? →
- An Oregon traffic light is flashing red. How should you treat it? →
- You arrive at an Oregon intersection where the traffic light is completely dark because of a power outage. What should you do? →
- You have a steady green circular signal in Oregon and you intend to turn left. Who must you yield to? →
- An Oregon signal is showing a flashing yellow circular light (not an arrow). What does it mean? →
You just took one Oregon question apart. The book does it for the whole test.
The Oregon book unlocks a free companion: an adaptive study plan, progress synced across your devices, a denser laminate cheat sheet, and a test-day walkthrough. Verify your copy once, usually in seconds; there's nothing extra to buy.
$18.99 paperback, free companion included.