If a pedestrian hybrid beacon signal light is flashing red, it means:
- Drivers may proceed with caution.
- Drivers should slow down and prepare to stop.
- Drivers should come to a complete stop and proceed if the crosswalk is clear. ✓
- There are no pedestrians nearby.
Answer: C. Drivers should come to a complete stop and proceed if the crosswalk is clear.
When a pedestrian hybrid beacon is flashing red, drivers should come to a complete stop and then proceed if the crosswalk is clear.
Why this is the answer
The handbook describes the pedestrian hybrid beacon as a pedestrian-activated warning device at a marked crosswalk. Its alternating flashing red signal means stop, and then go if clear. That supports making a full stop first, not just slowing down or rolling through with caution. Only after stopping should a driver continue, and only when the crosswalk is clear.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. Drivers may proceed with caution. — Proceeding with caution is not enough because the flashing red signal calls for a stop before going.
- B. Drivers should slow down and prepare to stop. — Slowing down and preparing to stop falls short because the signal requires a complete stop.
- D. There are no pedestrians nearby. — The passage does not say a flashing red means no pedestrians are nearby; it says to stop and then go only if clear.
Remember it
Treat a flashing red at a pedestrian beacon like a stop sign: stop fully, then move only when the crosswalk is clear.
Official handbook: Texas Driver Handbook (DL-7), Chapter 4: Right-of-Way , p. 24