Your signal is red and you intend to continue straight. The intersection appears empty. What must you do?
Correct answer: Stop and wait for a signal permitting your movement.
A steady red signal requires a stop. An empty intersection does not authorize a straight-through movement against it.
Source: Iowa Driver's Manual, MM1170 07/23/2026; printed page 11, physical PDF page 11; 2.9 Traffic signals. Readable text only; no diagram interpretation used. ↗
A flashing red light controls your approach to a rural junction. What is the correct sequence?
Correct answer: Stop completely, check for conflicts, and proceed only when safe.
A flashing red signal is treated like a stop sign: a complete stop comes before yielding and proceeding when safe.
Source: Iowa Driver's Manual, MM1170 07/23/2026; printed page 11, physical PDF page 11; 2.9 Traffic signals. Readable text only; no diagram interpretation used. ↗
Your light turns yellow while you still have enough distance to stop safely. What should you do?
Correct answer: Stop before entering the intersection.
Yellow warns of an approaching red signal. Stop when you can do so safely; drivers already in the intersection should complete their movement cautiously.
Source: Iowa Driver's Manual, MM1170 07/23/2026; printed page 11, physical PDF page 11; 2.9 Traffic signals. Readable text only; no diagram interpretation used. ↗
A flashing yellow signal faces you at an intersection. How should you approach?
Correct answer: Slow down, check carefully, and yield as necessary.
Flashing yellow calls for caution. It does not remove your duty to check for and yield to conflicting road users.
Source: Iowa Driver's Manual, MM1170 07/23/2026; printed page 11, physical PDF page 11; 2.9 Traffic signals. Readable text only; no diagram interpretation used. ↗
Your light turns green, but cars ahead leave no room beyond the intersection. What should you do?
Correct answer: Wait until you can enter without blocking the intersection.
A green signal is permission to proceed only when the path is clear. Do not block the intersection or disregard people and vehicles already there.
Source: Iowa Driver's Manual, MM1170 07/23/2026; printed page 11, physical PDF page 11; 2.9 Traffic signals. Readable text only; no diagram interpretation used. ↗
You are turning left on a flashing yellow arrow while an oncoming car approaches. What does the arrow require?
Correct answer: Yield to the oncoming car and pedestrians before turning.
A flashing yellow arrow allows a cautious turn after yielding. It is not a protected turn ahead of oncoming traffic.
Source: Iowa Driver's Manual, MM1170 07/23/2026; printed page 11, physical PDF page 11; 2.9 Traffic signals. Readable text only; no diagram interpretation used. ↗
A green arrow permits your turn, but a pedestrian is still crossing your path. What should you do?
Correct answer: Yield until the pedestrian has cleared your path.
A green arrow permits the indicated movement but does not cancel the duty to yield to people or vehicles already in the intersection.
Source: Iowa Driver's Manual, MM1170 07/23/2026; printed page 11, physical PDF page 11; 2.9 Traffic signals. Readable text only; no diagram interpretation used. ↗
The reversible lane above your car displays a steady yellow X. What should you plan to do?
Correct answer: Leave that lane as soon as it is safe.
A steady yellow X warns that the lane is changing use. Move out safely rather than continuing until opposing traffic arrives.
Source: Iowa Driver's Manual, MM1170 07/23/2026; printed page 15, physical PDF page 15; 2.15 Reversible lanes. Readable text only; no diagram interpretation used. ↗
You are choosing a lane controlled by overhead signals. What does a red X over a lane mean?
Correct answer: Do not drive in that lane.
A red X closes that lane to traffic moving in your direction. Do not enter it because adjacent lanes are crowded.
Source: Iowa Driver's Manual, MM1170 07/23/2026; printed page 15, physical PDF page 15; 2.15 Reversible lanes. Readable text only; no diagram interpretation used. ↗
A pedestrian hybrid beacon changes to steady red as you approach its crosswalk. What must you do?
Correct answer: Stop and remain stopped during the steady red indication.
The steady red phase requires drivers to stop. The later flashing-red phase has a different stop-and-proceed-when-clear instruction.
Source: Iowa Driver's Manual, MM1170 07/23/2026; printed page 18, physical PDF page 18; 2.20 Pedestrian hybrid beacons. Readable text only; no diagram interpretation used. ↗
You have stopped at a pedestrian hybrid beacon. It now flashes red and the crossing is clear. What may you do?
Correct answer: Proceed cautiously after checking that the way remains clear.
At flashing red, each approaching driver must first stop if not already stopped, then may proceed when the crossing is clear.
Source: Iowa Driver's Manual, MM1170 07/23/2026; printed page 18, physical PDF page 18; 2.20 Pedestrian hybrid beacons. Readable text only; no diagram interpretation used. ↗
A road has a yellow centerline and white lines between lanes on your side. What do those colors ordinarily separate?
Correct answer: Yellow separates opposing directions; white separates same-direction lanes.
Iowa describes yellow lines as separating opposite directions and white lane lines as separating traffic moving in the same direction. This is a text-based color distinction, not a claim about an unseen diagram.
Source: Iowa Driver's Manual, MM1170 07/23/2026; printed page 15, physical PDF page 15; 2.12 Pavement markings. Readable text only; no diagram interpretation used. ↗
