Flashing Yellow Left Arrow With a Pedestrian Still in the Crosswalk
You are westbound on a four-lane road posted 35 mph, approaching a signalized intersection. Your through signal is steady green, but the left-turn arrow for your lane is flashing yellow. A sign reads LEFT TURN YIELD ON FLASHING YELLOW. You want to turn left into a shopping center. Oncoming eastbound traffic includes a pickup about 200 feet away and a box truck farther back; both appear to be moving at about 40 mph. The pedestrian signal for the crosswalk you would enter shows a countdown of 12 seconds, and a person pushing a stroller is still in the crosswalk. Your lane is marked with a left-turn-only arrow; the lane to your right is through-only. A car is close behind you. Rain started 10 minutes ago, and the pavement is wet.
1. The arrow is flashing yellow and the car behind you is close. What does the signal require you to do, and what is your immediate action?
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A flashing yellow arrow does not give you the right of way. It means you may turn left only after yielding to oncoming traffic and to pedestrians in the crosswalk. The close car behind you does not create a legal obligation to turn, and you should not let it push you into an unsafe gap.
Your immediate action is to slow or stop before the crosswalk and wait. The oncoming pickup is about 200 feet away at roughly 40 mph, which means it will reach you in only a few seconds. Starting a left turn across its path from a near stop would be risky even on dry pavement. Wet pavement lengthens your own stopping distance and reduces the margin for error. Keep your wheels straight while waiting so a rear impact would not push you into oncoming traffic, and turn only when you have a clear, comfortable gap.
2. As you begin to creep forward to see past the box truck, the arrow changes to a steady yellow arrow. The pickup is now about 150 feet away. What do you do?
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A steady yellow arrow means the protected left-turn phase is ending and the signal is about to change to red. It does not mean “hurry up and turn.” If you have not already entered the intersection, you should stop behind the stop line or crosswalk if you can do so safely. Creeping forward to improve your view is not the same as committing to the turn.
At 150 feet and about 40 mph, the pickup is roughly 2.5 seconds away. That is not a safe gap for a left turn across its lane, especially on wet pavement. Do not turn just because the arrow is ending; wait for the next signal cycle or for a safe gap on a green ball. If you had already entered the intersection on the arrow, you would clear it when safe, but you should not enter now.
3. The countdown reaches 5 seconds and the pedestrian with the stroller is halfway across your intended path. The through light for your direction turns green. Can you complete the left turn?
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No. A green through light does not override a pedestrian who is still in the crosswalk. The pedestrian has the right of way, and the countdown is a clearance warning for pedestrians, not permission for drivers to turn into the crosswalk.
You must wait until the pedestrian and stroller are completely clear of your path. Do not try to turn behind or in front of them, and do not inch forward to pressure them. If the light changes while you are waiting, you may still be legally in the intersection only if you had already entered; if you are behind the crosswalk, stay there and wait for a safe opportunity. The wet pavement makes a quick stop or abrupt turn even less forgiving.