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Washington traffic signals

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Washington traffic signals

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Question 1 of 20
  1. 1. You approach a steady circular red light with a clearly marked stop line before the crosswalk. Where should you make the required stop?
  2. 2. In Washington, you have stopped at a circular red light before a right turn. No sign prohibits the turn. What must happen before you turn?
  3. 3. You are on a two-way Washington street, stopped at a circular red light. You want to turn left onto a one-way street carrying traffic to your left. No sign prohibits it, and the path is clear. Is the turn permitted?
  4. 4. A steady left red arrow faces you on a two-way Washington street. You are correctly positioned to turn left onto a one-way street carrying traffic to your left, and no sign prohibits the turn. What does Washington law allow?
  5. 5. A No Turn on Red sign applies to your right turn at a steady red arrow. You have stopped and see no approaching traffic. May you make the turn while that indication remains?
  6. 6. You face a circular green light, not a green arrow, and intend to turn left. An oncoming vehicle is close enough to be an immediate hazard. What should you do?
  7. 7. Your green turn arrow appears, but another vehicle is still lawfully completing its movement in the intersection. What should you do?
  8. 8. A steady yellow light replaces the green indication as you approach an intersection. What is the signal telling you?
  9. 9. At an ordinary road intersection, your traffic signal is flashing red. What rule applies?
  10. 10. Your ordinary intersection signal flashes yellow. What does that indication require?
  11. 11. All approaches to an intersection have lost signal power. No flagger, police officer or firefighter is directing traffic. How must you treat it?
  12. 12. At a signalized intersection without power, a firefighter directing traffic clearly tells your lane to proceed. What should guide your movement?
  13. 13. A pedestrian began crossing on the walking-person signal and is now in the marked crosswalk in your turning path. What is your duty?
  14. 14. A pedestrian entered on Walk and is still in the crosswalk in your path when the hand begins flashing. What must you do?
  15. 15. No pedestrian-control signal directs the crossing. A pedestrian faces a steady circular yellow traffic light and has not entered the roadway. What does that signal require?
  16. 16. You approach an operating ramp meter showing red, with a white stop line in your lane. What should you do?
  17. 17. A steady red X appears above the lane you were planning to enter. What does it mean?
  18. 18. The overhead signal for your lane changes to a steady yellow X. What should you prepare to do?
  19. 19. A steady downward green arrow is displayed above a lane. What does that overhead signal permit?
  20. 20. An overhead lane-control signal displays a flashing yellow X. What use of that lane does it authorize?
Review all 20 questions with answers

  1. You approach a steady circular red light with a clearly marked stop line before the crosswalk. Where should you make the required stop?

    Correct answer: At the stop line

    Stop at the marked line. If there is no line, the law gives a different stopping position before the near crosswalk, or before the intersection when neither exists.

    Source: RCW46.61.055 (3)(a); complete current section read September13,2026. Handbook context: Washington Driver Guide520-400(R/4/25), physical PDF110. ↗

  2. In Washington, you have stopped at a circular red light before a right turn. No sign prohibits the turn. What must happen before you turn?

    Correct answer: Wait for approaching traffic and lawful crosswalk users to clear your path

    A permitted right turn on red still requires a complete stop and yielding. Remain stopped for traffic and crossing users entitled to proceed; a signal behind you does not change that duty.

    Source: RCW46.61.055 (3)(a); crosswalk duties under 46.61.235(1); complete current section read September13,2026. Handbook context: Washington Driver Guide520-400(R/4/25), physical PDF110. ↗

  3. You are on a two-way Washington street, stopped at a circular red light. You want to turn left onto a one-way street carrying traffic to your left. No sign prohibits it, and the path is clear. Is the turn permitted?

    Correct answer: Yes, after stopping and yielding as required

    Washington permits this left turn from either a one-way or two-way street onto a one-way street carrying traffic in the turn's direction. The stop, signs and yielding requirements still apply.

    Source: RCW46.61.055 (3)(a); complete current section read September13,2026. Handbook context: Washington Driver Guide520-400(R/4/25), physical PDF110. ↗

  4. A steady left red arrow faces you on a two-way Washington street. You are correctly positioned to turn left onto a one-way street carrying traffic to your left, and no sign prohibits the turn. What does Washington law allow?

    Correct answer: A left turn after a full stop and the required yielding

    RCW 46.61.055(3)(c) expressly permits this turn after stopping and yielding unless a sign prohibits it. The handbook's short red-arrow description does not state this Washington exception.

    Source: RCW46.61.055 (3)(c); handbook physical110 red-arrow summary omits the exception; complete current section read September13,2026. Handbook context: Washington Driver Guide520-400(R/4/25), physical PDF110. ↗

  5. A No Turn on Red sign applies to your right turn at a steady red arrow. You have stopped and see no approaching traffic. May you make the turn while that indication remains?

    Correct answer: No; the posted prohibition still applies

    A posted prohibition removes the turn-on-red permission. Stopping and finding a gap do not cancel the sign.

    Source: RCW46.61.055 (3)(c); complete current section read September13,2026. Handbook context: Washington Driver Guide520-400(R/4/25), physical PDF110. ↗

  6. You face a circular green light, not a green arrow, and intend to turn left. An oncoming vehicle is close enough to be an immediate hazard. What should you do?

    Correct answer: Yield to the approaching vehicle before turning

    A circular green does not give a left-turning driver priority over hazardous oncoming traffic. Wait for a safe opportunity and obey the crossing-user duties too.

    Source: RCW46.61.185 (1); 46.61.055(1)(a); complete current section read September13,2026. Handbook context: Washington Driver Guide520-400(R/4/25), physical PDF112. ↗

  7. Your green turn arrow appears, but another vehicle is still lawfully completing its movement in the intersection. What should you do?

    Correct answer: Stop to let that vehicle complete its movement

    A green arrow authorizes the indicated movement, but does not remove the duty to let vehicles lawfully in the intersection finish. It is not proof that every conflict has disappeared.

    Source: RCW46.61.055 (1)(b); complete current section read September13,2026. Handbook context: Washington Driver Guide520-400(R/4/25), physical PDF112. ↗

  8. A steady yellow light replaces the green indication as you approach an intersection. What is the signal telling you?

    Correct answer: The green movement is ending and a red indication follows

    Steady yellow warns that the related green movement is ending or red will immediately follow. It is not a direction to accelerate into the intersection.

    Source: RCW46.61.055 (2)(a); complete current section read September13,2026. Handbook context: Washington Driver Guide520-400(R/4/25), physical PDF111. ↗

  9. At an ordinary road intersection, your traffic signal is flashing red. What rule applies?

    Correct answer: Stop completely, then proceed under stop-sign right-of-way rules

    A flashing red road signal requires a stop followed by the rules used after a stop sign. Railroad grade-crossing signals have separate rules.

    Source: RCW46.61.065 (1)(a), (2); complete current section read September13,2026. Handbook context: Washington Driver Guide520-400(R/4/25), physical PDF110. ↗

  10. Your ordinary intersection signal flashes yellow. What does that indication require?

    Correct answer: Proceed only with caution

    Flashing yellow requires caution. It does not by itself require the complete stop associated with flashing red, and does not guarantee a clear path.

    Source: RCW46.61.065 (1)(b), (2); complete current section read September13,2026. Handbook context: Washington Driver Guide520-400(R/4/25), physical PDF111. ↗

  11. All approaches to an intersection have lost signal power. No flagger, police officer or firefighter is directing traffic. How must you treat it?

    Correct answer: As an all-way stop

    A temporary loss of power on all approaches requires all-way-stop treatment unless an authorized person directs you to proceed. Stop and then yield under the applicable right-of-way rules.

    Source: RCW46.61.183 entire section; complete current section read September13,2026. Handbook context: Washington Driver Guide520-400(R/4/25), physical PDF109. ↗

  12. At a signalized intersection without power, a firefighter directing traffic clearly tells your lane to proceed. What should guide your movement?

    Correct answer: Follow the firefighter's direction with care

    The nonfunctioning-signal rule expressly allows directions from a flagger, police officer or firefighter to control the movement. Proceed carefully as directed.

    Source: RCW46.61.183 exception at beginning of section; complete current section read September13,2026. Handbook context: Washington Driver Guide520-400(R/4/25), physical PDF109. ↗

  13. A pedestrian began crossing on the walking-person signal and is now in the marked crosswalk in your turning path. What is your duty?

    Correct answer: Stop and let the pedestrian cross

    Drivers must stop for pedestrians lawfully crossing on Walk as required by the crosswalk rule. A simultaneous vehicle signal does not override that protection.

    Source: RCW46.61.060 (1); 46.61.235(1); complete current section read September13,2026. ↗

  14. A pedestrian entered on Walk and is still in the crosswalk in your path when the hand begins flashing. What must you do?

    Correct answer: Remain stopped for the pedestrian to cross

    The change to a flashing hand does not remove protection from someone who began crossing before it appeared. Drivers must still stop as required by the crosswalk rule.

    Source: RCW46.61.060 (2); 46.61.235(1); complete current section read September13,2026. ↗

  15. No pedestrian-control signal directs the crossing. A pedestrian faces a steady circular yellow traffic light and has not entered the roadway. What does that signal require?

    Correct answer: Do not begin crossing the roadway

    Without a pedestrian signal directing otherwise, a pedestrian facing steady yellow must not enter the roadway. This differs from completing a crossing already begun.

    Source: RCW46.61.055 (2)(b); complete current section read September13,2026. ↗

  16. You approach an operating ramp meter showing red, with a white stop line in your lane. What should you do?

    Correct answer: Stop at the line and wait for the meter to permit movement

    The guide requires stopping at the ramp-meter line on red and continuing along the ramp when the signal permits. A green meter still does not remove the need for a safe freeway merge.

    Source: Washington Driver Guide,520-400(R/4/25), Section4.11 Freeway Ramp Meters; physical PDF113. ↗

  17. A steady red X appears above the lane you were planning to enter. What does it mean?

    Correct answer: Do not enter or drive in that lane

    A steady red lane-control X closes that lane to your travel. Its meaning controls even if another road marking appears to permit the lane.

    Source: RCW46.61.072 (4); 46.61.070; complete current section read September13,2026. ↗

  18. The overhead signal for your lane changes to a steady yellow X. What should you prepare to do?

    Correct answer: Vacate the lane safely before it shows a steady red X

    A steady yellow X warns of a lane-control change. Prepare a safe lane exit and avoid occupying the lane once the steady red X is displayed.

    Source: RCW46.61.072 (2); complete current section read September13,2026. ↗

  19. A steady downward green arrow is displayed above a lane. What does that overhead signal permit?

    Correct answer: Driving in the lane beneath it while obeying other controls

    The downward arrow permits use of that lane. It is a lane-use signal, not a protected turning arrow or a waiver of other driving rules.

    Source: RCW46.61.072 (1); (4) other controls; complete current section read September13,2026. ↗

  20. An overhead lane-control signal displays a flashing yellow X. What use of that lane does it authorize?

    Correct answer: A left turn using proper caution

    In Washington's special signal legend, a flashing yellow X permits using that lane for a left turn with caution. Do not confuse it with an ordinary flashing yellow intersection light.

    Source: RCW46.61.072 (3); complete current section read September13,2026. ↗

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Washington traffic signals

20 questions on signal rules, pedestrian protections and overhead lane controls. Explanations cite current Washington law where the handbook summary omits an exception.

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Turn-on-red permission depends on the streets, posted restrictions, stopping and yielding. These text-based signal questions are separate from road-sign picture recognition.