Traffic Control
Traffic Control covers the signs, signals, pavement markings, and flaggers that assign movement at intersections and along roads. The NY permit exam tests whether you can recognize a device by shape or color and choose the correct action without hesitating.
Core rules
- Shape and color carry meaning. A red octagon means STOP; an inverted red-and-white triangle means YIELD; a yellow diamond warns of a hazard; orange marks work zones; fluorescent yellow-green marks school and pedestrian areas; white-and-black signs are regulatory; blue gives services; brown gives recreation guidance.
- Steady red: stop at the stop line, crosswalk, or edge of the intersection. You may turn right only after a complete stop and yield, unless a sign prohibits it. In New York City, right on red is prohibited unless a sign permits it.
- Flashing red is a stop sign; flashing yellow means slow down and proceed with caution, not stop.
- Green arrow gives a protected movement. A circular green lets you go straight or turn, but a left turn across traffic must yield to oncoming vehicles and pedestrians.
- Markings: yellow lines separate opposite directions; white lines separate lanes going the same way. A solid line means do not cross; a broken line means cross only when safe. Double solid yellow means no passing.
- A police officer or flagger directing traffic overrides signs and signals.
Worked example
You have a steady circular green and want to turn left. The green light does not create an absolute right-of-way. You enter the intersection only when you can complete the turn safely, yielding to oncoming traffic and to pedestrians in the crosswalk. If the signal were a green left arrow, oncoming traffic would be stopped, but you would still yield to pedestrians.
Traps that cost marks
Treating a green light as permission to turn left without yielding; rolling through a red before a right turn; forgetting New York City's right-on-red rule; and confusing flashing yellow with flashing red.