As you approach an intersection with a flashing yellow light:
- Stop before crossing the intersection.
- Slow down and proceed with caution. ✓
- Wait for a green light before proceeding.
Answer: B. Slow down and proceed with caution.
Slow down and proceed with caution when you approach an intersection with a flashing yellow light.
Why this is the answer
The New York manual's traffic signal section lists flashing yellow with a short, direct instruction: drive with caution. That contrasts with the flashing red light, which the manual treats the same as a stop sign, where you stop, yield, and go only when safe. A flashing yellow does not require a stop, but it does warn you to reduce speed and stay alert as you go through the intersection.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. Stop before crossing the intersection. — Stopping is what the manual requires for a flashing red light, which works like a stop sign, not for a flashing yellow.
- C. Wait for a green light before proceeding. — A flashing yellow signal is already telling you to proceed carefully, so waiting for a green light is not required and would hold up traffic for no reason.
Remember it
Flashing yellow means ease off the gas and stay sharp; flashing red means come to a full stop.