Roadwise States North Dakota Driving lessons Traffic signals & turn arrows North Dakota driving lesson · Signs, Signals & Markings
Traffic signals & turn arrows A 3-minute lesson from the North Dakota 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 19, 20 Traffic signals work only if everyone follows them. Learn what each color means when steady and when flashing, when you may turn on red, and what the four left-turn arrows tell you.
Steady red, yellow and green signals Know the rule
At a red light, stay stopped until the light changes and the intersection is clear of pedestrians and vehicles.
Handbook p. 19 ↗ Know the rule
If a green arrow comes on with a red light, you may turn in the arrow's direction. Yield to all pedestrians and vehicles already in the intersection.
Handbook p. 19 ↗ Know the rule
You may turn right on a red light after stopping, when the intersection is clear of pedestrians and vehicles, unless a sign prohibits it.
Handbook p. 19 ↗ Know the rule
You may turn left on a red light from a one-way street onto a one-way street, unless a sign prohibits it.
Handbook p. 19 ↗ Know the rule
If the signals are dark, such as in a power outage, stop and yield the right of way to any vehicle in the intersection.
Handbook p. 19 ↗ Flashing red and flashing yellow signals Left-turn arrows: steady red, steady yellow, flashing yellow, steady green Know the rule
During a flashing yellow arrow, oncoming traffic will typically have a green light.
Handbook p. 20 ↗ Put it into practice
At 2 a.m. the signal ahead is flashing red. Treat it exactly like a stop sign: stop completely, then go when the intersection is clear of pedestrians and vehicles.
A useful reminder Flashing yellow arrow: you may turn, but oncoming traffic has the right-of-way. Steady green arrow: you have it.
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.
What does a steady red traffic signal require you to do? Yield only if pedestrians are present Stop only if other vehicles are visible Stop at the marked line or crosswalk Slow down and proceed with caution Answer: Stop at the marked line or crosswalk
A red indication means STOP; you must stop at a marked stop line or before a crosswalk and remain stopped until the light changes and the intersection is clear.
Handbook p. 19 ↗ What does a flashing red traffic signal mean? Proceed with caution, no stop required The same as a stop sign The same as a yield sign Signal malfunction, drive normally Answer: The same as a stop sign
Flashing red means the same thing as a stop sign: come to a complete stop.
Handbook p. 19 ↗ When traffic signals are dark due to a power outage, what must a driver do at that intersection? Treat it as a yield sign only Proceed at normal speed Wait for a police officer before proceeding Stop and yield to vehicles in the intersection Answer: Stop and yield to vehicles in the intersection
If the traffic signals are dark, the driver must stop and yield the right of way to any vehicle already in the intersection.
Handbook p. 19 ↗ When may you legally turn right on a red light in North Dakota? Only between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Only if a police officer waves you through After stopping, when the intersection is clear Never, right turns on red are illegal statewide Answer: After stopping, when the intersection is clear
You may turn right on red after stopping when the intersection is clear, unless there is a sign prohibiting the turn.
Handbook p. 19 ↗ A steady green left-turn arrow means what for left-turning drivers? They have the right-of-way to go They may proceed only if no pedestrians are visible They must yield to all oncoming traffic first They must wait for a gap in traffic Answer: They have the right-of-way to go
A steady green left-turn signal means GO — left-turning drivers have the right-of-way.
Handbook p. 20 ↗ A flashing yellow left-turn arrow means what? The intersection is closed to left turns You may turn left after yielding to traffic You have the right-of-way over oncoming traffic Stop and wait, the signal is about to turn red Answer: You may turn left after yielding to traffic
A flashing yellow left-turn signal means you may cautiously turn left, but only after yielding to oncoming traffic and pedestrians.
Handbook p. 20 ↗ Previous lesson Guide, service & recreation signs Next lesson Pavement markings More in Signs, Signals & Markings About the source Roadwise’s North Dakota course uses the driver handbook edition supplied with this study pack. This lesson cites source pages 19, 20. 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
For current application requirements, fees, appointments, and the format that applies to your age or license type, check North Dakota’s DOT. Roadwise provides study material and does not issue permits or licenses.
