Virginia · Handbook chapter 2 · 4 min read
Chapter 2: Traffic signals
Virginia traffic signals: red, yellow and green lights and arrows, turns on red, flashing signals, dark signals, lane use signals and pedestrian hybrid beacons.
Why this chapter matters
Signals control most busy intersections, and Virginia has a few rules that surprise new drivers, such as the ban on turns at a red arrow and the left turn on red allowed only from one one-way street onto another. Signals apply to drivers, motorcycle riders, bicyclists, moped riders and pedestrians alike, and a police officer's directions always come first.
It is illegal to avoid a signal or sign by cutting through a parking lot or field.
Steady lights and arrows
| Signal | What you do |
|---|---|
| Red light | Stop at the stop line, or before the crosswalk or intersection if there is no line, and stay stopped |
| Red arrow | Do not go in the arrow's direction. Virginia law prohibits turns at red arrows unless a sign allows a turn after stopping |
| Yellow light or arrow | The signal is about to change. Stop if you have not entered the intersection and can stop safely; if you are already in it, go through carefully. Do not speed up to beat it |
| Green light | Go if the way is clear. Turning without an arrow, yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians |
| Green arrow | Go in the arrow's direction if the way is clear |
If the light turns green while a pedestrian is still in the street, let them finish crossing before you turn.
Turning on red
- Right on red: come to a complete stop, look both ways, and yield to pedestrians and traffic. Watch for motorcycles, bicycles and mopeds.
- Left on red: allowed only from a one-way street onto another one-way street, after a complete stop and yielding.
- Neither is allowed where a No Turn on Red sign is posted or a red arrow points your way.
Rules differ in other states, so check before you travel.
Flashing signals
- Flashing red light: treat it like a STOP sign. Stop completely, yield, and go when the way is clear. At a railroad crossing, stop even if you do not see a train.
- Flashing red arrow: stop completely, yield to oncoming vehicles and to pedestrians, then turn when clear.
- Flashing yellow light: slow down and go with caution. These are placed where conditions are more hazardous than normal.
- Flashing yellow arrow: you may turn if the way is clear, but you must yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians.
Signals that are out
If a signal shows no lights at all, for example after a power outage, stop and go through as if it were an all-way stop. This does not apply when an officer is directing traffic or portable stop signs are in use.
Lane use signals
Lane use signals hang over lanes whose direction changes at different times of day.
| Signal | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Red X | Never drive in this lane |
| Yellow X or yellow diagonal downward arrow | Move out of this lane as soon as you safely can |
| Green arrow | You may drive in this lane |
| Left-turn arrow (one-way or two-way) | Enter this lane only to turn left |
Pedestrian hybrid beacons
A pedestrian hybrid beacon (PHB) hangs over a crossing that has no regular stoplight.
- Dark until a pedestrian presses the button.
- A flashing yellow light: get ready.
- A steady yellow: prepare to stop.
- Two steady red lights while the walk signal shows: you must stop.
- Alternating flashing red lights while the walk signal counts down: if the crosswalk is now clear, you may go with caution.
Frequently asked questions
Can you turn left on red in Virginia?
Only from a one-way street onto another one-way street, after a complete stop, and only if no sign or red arrow forbids it.
Can you turn right at a red arrow in Virginia?
No. Virginia law prohibits right and left turns at red arrows unless a sign permits a turn after stopping.
What should I do when a traffic light is completely dark?
Stop and treat the intersection as an all-way stop, unless an officer is directing traffic or portable stop signs are in place.
What does a flashing yellow arrow mean?
You may turn in the arrow's direction, but you must first yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians.
What does a red X over a lane mean?
Never drive in that lane.
Based on the Virginia Driver's Manual (DMV 39), Section 2: Signals, Signs and Pavement Markings.