Driver's License Test Prep
Oregon Practice Traffic Signals

An Oregon signal is showing a flashing yellow circular light (not an arrow). What does it mean?

  1. A.
    Stop, then proceed when safe.
  2. B.
    Slow down and proceed with caution. Correct
  3. C.
    The signal is broken; find another route.
  4. D.
    Yield to pedestrians only.
The Why

The answer is "Slow down and proceed with caution."

A flashing yellow circular signal means slow down and proceed with caution. It is commonly used at low-volume intersections during off-hours and on the through-street side of a flashing red and flashing yellow pairing. You don't have to stop, but you must reduce speed and watch for cross traffic and pedestrians.

Why the others miss

The traps in the wrong answers

A. Stop, then proceed when safe.

That describes a flashing red. A flashing yellow does not require a stop. Misreading: Confuses the flashing yellow rule with the flashing red or dark signal rule, which is treated the same as a stop sign.

C. The signal is broken; find another route.

A flashing yellow is a deliberate operating mode, not a malfunction. Misreading: Treats a flashing yellow as a malfunction; the manual lists it as a defined signal indication, not an out-of-order state.

D. Yield to pedestrians only.

The obligation is broader: slow and proceed with caution for cross traffic as well as pedestrians. Misreading: Narrows 'slow down and proceed with caution' to a pedestrians-only yield, ignoring the broader caution requirement for cross traffic.

The Rule

This question tests your knowledge of Traffic Signals in Oregon. Source: Oregon Driver Manual, "Traffic Signals," p.15..

More from this topic

Related Oregon questions

Coming soon

The Oregon book is on the way

Drop your email and we'll send the free Oregon cheat sheet now, plus a note the moment the book is available.

One email a few times a month. No spam, unsubscribe anytime. Privacy.

Free study plan

Your free Oregon study plan

A short run of study emails for the Oregon DMV test: what to drill, the rules people trip on, and a final pre-test checklist. The one-page cheat sheet is free to grab either way.

One email a few times a month. No spam, unsubscribe anytime. Privacy.