Drive Against A Steady Yellow Light

Drivers Who Try to Beat the Read Light

You see them daily, drivers trying to beat the red light and enter an intersection against a steady yellow signal.

What Does the Yellow Light Mean?

A steady circular yellow or yellow arrow signal warns that the related green signal has ended and that a red signal will appear.

Think of the yellow signal as the beginning of the red light phase, not the end of the period with a green signal. All vehicles must clear the intersection during the phase with a yellow signal.

Is it Legal to Proceed Against the Yellow Light?

Whether it is legal to go against a yellow light divides Americans, probably because the United States has three different yellow light laws.

The most common law in the US is the permissive yellow law. Under the permissive law, you may proceed through during the entire duration of the yellow change interval.

However, blocking the intersection may still be unlawful if you cannot clear it. It may also be illegal to speed up to beat the red light.

The other two variants are restricted yellow laws.

The first restricted law says you may only proceed against a yellow light if you can completely clear the intersection before the red signal.

The other restricted law says you may not enter the intersection against a yellow light unless you cannot stop safely.

Defensive Driving

In general, driving experts recommend stopping at a yellow light unless you are too close to the intersection to stop safely.

If you cannot stop safely, you should continue at your current speed. Clear the intersection as soon as possible, but be aware of bicyclists and pedestrians crossing the intersection.

When determining whether you can make a safe stop, you should look for vehicles behind you. Do not slam on your brakes in front of the stop line. A tailgater trying to beat the light may not be able to stop in time.

You may receive a ticket if you can stop safely but speed up to beat the red light. An officer can also give you a ticket if you continue through the light but fail to clear the intersection in time. Blocking an intersection is typically illegal in all states.

The One Thing to Remember for Your Test

Always stop at the yellow light if you can do so safely.

More Resources about Traffic Signals

• What Does a Flashing Yellow Arrow Mean?
• Can You Drive Against A Steady Yellow Light?
• Green Arrow and Protected Turns
• When a Traffic Light is Out of Order
• Video Everything you need to know about traffic lights and signals for your written knowledge test.

DMV Questions and Answers for Every State