You're approaching an Oregon intersection when the signal turns to a steady yellow. What does this signal tell you?
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A.
Speed up to clear the intersection before the light turns red.
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B.
The signal is about to turn red; stop if you can do so safely. Correct
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C.
Yield to oncoming traffic and proceed.
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D.
Stop and wait for the signal to cycle to green again.
The answer is "The signal is about to turn red; stop if you can do so safely."
A steady circular yellow is a warning 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 a safe stop is not possible, drive carefully through. The yellow exists to give drivers time to clear the intersection, not to license a sprint.
The traps in the wrong answers
A. 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. Misreading: Inverts the rule: a steady yellow warns you to stop, not to accelerate through the intersection.
C. Yield to oncoming traffic and proceed.
Yellow is not a yield signal; it is a warning that the signal is about to turn red. Misreading: Confuses a steady yellow with a yield signal; the manual defines yellow as a warning the light is about to turn red.
D. 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. Misreading: Drops the safety qualifier; the manual says stop only if you can do so safely, otherwise drive carefully through.
This question tests your knowledge of Traffic Signals in Oregon. Source: Oregon Driver Manual, "Traffic Signals," p.15..
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