Roadwise States Hawaii Driving lessons Traffic lights, arrows and flashing signals Hawaii driving lesson · Signs, Signals & Markings
Traffic lights, arrows and flashing signals A 3-minute lesson from the Hawaii course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Read time 3 minutes
Course unit Signs, Signals & Markings
Checkpoint questions 6
Source pages 39, 40, 41, 67 Traffic signals control intersections where movements conflict. Each color, arrow and flash has an exact legal meaning, including two turns you may make on red in Hawaii.
At a steady red light, stop: At the stop line If there's no stop line, before entering any crosswalk If there's no stop line or crosswalk, before entering the intersection And stay stopped until the signal turns green Handbook p. 39 ↗ Know the rule
After stopping on red, you may turn right unless a sign prohibits it. Yield to all pedestrians and vehicles as you turn.
Handbook p. 39 ↗ Know the rule
After stopping on red, you may also turn left from a one-way street into a one-way street where traffic moves left, unless a sign prohibits it.
Handbook p. 39 ↗ Know the rule
Always come to a complete stop before a right turn on a red signal.
Handbook p. 67 ↗ Know the rule
A steady yellow light means red is coming immediately. Avoid entering the intersection on yellow, and never enter after the red is shown.
Handbook p. 39 ↗ Know the rule
A green light means go straight or turn, unless signs prohibit turns. Yield to pedestrians and vehicles already in the intersection.
Handbook p. 40 ↗ Know the rule
With combination signals (arrows plus standard lights), move only in the direction of the green arrow when it is lit.
Handbook p. 41 ↗ Know the rule
When regular traffic signals flash, they have the same meanings as flashing red or yellow signals.
Handbook p. 41 ↗ Put it into practice
You're stopped on red on a one-way street, and the cross street is also one-way with traffic moving to your left. With no sign prohibiting it, you may turn left on red after a complete stop, yielding to pedestrians and traffic.
A useful reminder Green never means 'you have the right-of-way'. It means go if the intersection is clear of pedestrians and vehicles.
Check your understanding Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.
A steady red traffic light means you must: stop, then go straight if no one is coming stop and stay stopped until it changes slow down, but you may still proceed yield only if pedestrians are present Answer: stop and stay stopped until it changes
A red light requires a full stop until the light changes.
Handbook p. 39 ↗ After stopping at a red light, when may you turn right (absent a sign prohibiting it)? Only if an officer directs you to Only during daylight hours Never, under Hawaii law After yielding to pedestrians and vehicles Answer: After yielding to pedestrians and vehicles
A right turn on red is allowed after yielding to pedestrians and vehicles, unless a sign prohibits it.
Handbook p. 39 ↗ On a one-way street, you may turn left on a red light into another one-way street where traffic moves to the left if: you are the first car at the light the cross street has two or more lanes no posted sign prohibits it it is never allowed in Hawaii Answer: no posted sign prohibits it
A left turn on red from one one-way street to another is allowed unless a sign prohibits it.
Handbook p. 39 ↗ A steady yellow traffic light means: red is coming; avoid entering the intersection speed up to beat the red light pedestrians may start crossing you must stop at once, however close you are to it Answer: red is coming; avoid entering the intersection
Yellow warns that red is coming; you should avoid entering the intersection.
Handbook p. 39 ↗ A red flashing traffic signal has the same meaning as a: Railroad crossing signal Do Not Enter sign Stop sign Yield sign Answer: Stop sign
A flashing red signal is treated the same as a stop sign.
Handbook p. 41 ↗ A yellow flashing traffic signal means you: must come to a complete stop must stop and yield to all cross traffic may proceed, but only with caution must stop only if turning left Answer: may proceed, but only with caution
A flashing yellow signal means proceed with caution.
Handbook p. 41 ↗ Previous lesson Stop lines, crosswalks and special markings Next lesson Lane-control and pedestrian signals More in Signs, Signals & Markings About the source Roadwise’s Hawaii course uses the driver handbook edition supplied with this study pack. This lesson cites source pages 39, 40, 41, 67. The linked PDF is a third-party mirror of the handbook, rather than a government-hosted page.
Open the handbook source PDF · View the source edition
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