North Carolina permit test: traffic signals
Steady and flashing lights, arrows, pedestrian signals and lane-use signals. 5 questions.
The light turns steady yellow as you approach an intersection. What should you do?
Keyboard: press 1–4 or A–D to answer, Enter for the next question, S to save, R to read aloud, P to pause reading, L to listen and answer.
Sample traffic signals questions
The light turns steady yellow as you approach an intersection. What should you do?
- A Speed up to clear the intersection before red
- B Keep going at the same speed in all cases
- C Stop, unless you are too close to stop safely
- D Stop even if it means braking in the intersection
Show answer
C. Stop, unless you are too close to stop safely
A steady yellow means the light is about to turn red. Stop unless you are too close to stop safely, and then drive through with caution. Never speed up to beat the red.
View diagram
A flashing yellow arrow is displayed for your left turn. What does it mean?
- A You must stop; turns are not allowed
- B You have a protected turn; oncoming traffic is stopped
- C You may turn, but must yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians
- D The arrow is about to turn green, so wait
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C. You may turn, but must yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians
A flashing yellow arrow allows the turn, but you must first yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians. Only a solid green arrow gives a protected turn.
You reach an intersection where the traffic lights are out because of a power failure, and no officer is directing traffic. What should you do?
- A Treat it as if there were a stop sign on every approach
- B Slow down and yield only to traffic from the right
- C Go through, since the busier road keeps the right of way
- D Proceed as if the light were green for you
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A. Treat it as if there were a stop sign on every approach
When a traffic light is not working, approach and proceed as if the intersection had a stop sign on all approaches. This does not apply if an officer is directing traffic or another control device is working.
What does a flashing red traffic signal mean?
- A The same as a yield sign
- B The same as a stop sign
- C The signal is about to turn green
- D Slow down and proceed with caution
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B. The same as a stop sign
A flashing red signal means the same as a stop sign: come to a full stop and go only when you can enter without interfering with other traffic. A flashing yellow, by contrast, means slow down and proceed with caution.