Why are the traffic light colors red, yellow and green?

What does a flashing green traffic light mean?

To inform drivers about the upcoming change of the green traffic light to yellow, the Rules provide for the possibility of flashing the green signal. This signal allows the vehicle to move. The blinking duration should be 3 seconds.

Basic traffic light signals

A traditional traffic light produces three light signals: green, yellow and red. The device is installed at intersections and near pedestrian crossings. Following traffic signs helps prevent accidents by ensuring the safety of both pedestrians and motorists. Each color has one or more meanings enshrined in traffic rules. Let's look at them in more detail:

1. Green – allows movement for both vehicles and pedestrians.
2. If the green light is flashing, then the vehicles can continue driving, but drivers should take into account that the prohibiting signal will soon be turned on, and therefore the maneuver should be completed as soon as possible. Digital displays can be used to provide more accurate information about the remaining time.
3. Yellow light – warns of a change in traffic lights. It prohibits movement except for those cases provided for in paragraph 6.14 of the traffic rules.
4. Flashing yellow. Allows traffic and warns about the presence of an unregulated intersection (if the traffic light is not working), informing about the danger. Upon seeing a flashing yellow light, the driver should cross the intersection with maximum vigilance.
5. Red. Used to prohibit movement. It doesn’t matter whether the light is red or blinking.
6. The combination of yellow and red colors has two functions. The first is prohibitive (you can’t move). The second is a warning (the light will turn green soon, so drivers should get ready to start).

You intend to turn left. Your actions?

A green traffic light allows you to turn left. The movement of the tram at this intersection is regulated by a single-color traffic light in the form of the letter “T”. Considering that with such a signal the tram is prohibited from moving, you can pass the intersection first.

Traffic regulations | 6. Traffic lights and traffic controller signals

Home / Traffic rules of the Russian Federation / Section 6.

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Traffic rules:

6.1. Traffic lights use green, yellow, red and white-lunar light signals.

Depending on the purpose, traffic light signals can be round, in the form of an arrow(s), a silhouette of a pedestrian or a bicycle, or X-shaped.

Traffic lights with round signals may have one or two additional sections with signals in the form of a green arrow(s), which are located at the level of the green round signal.

6.2. Round traffic lights have the following meanings:

• A green signal allows movement;
• A green flashing signal allows movement and informs that its time is expiring and a prohibitory signal will soon be turned on (digital displays can be used to inform drivers about the time in seconds remaining until the end of the green signal);
• The yellow signal prohibits movement, except in cases provided for in paragraph 6.14 of the Rules, and warns of an upcoming change of signals;
• A yellow flashing signal allows movement and informs about the presence of an unregulated intersection or pedestrian crossing, warns of danger;
• A red signal , including a flashing one, prohibits movement.

The combination of red and yellow signals prohibits movement and informs about the upcoming activation of the green signal.

6.3. Traffic light signals, made in the form of red, yellow and green arrows, have the same meaning as round signals of the corresponding color, but their effect extends only to the direction(s) indicated by the arrows. In this case, the arrow allowing a left turn also allows a U-turn, unless this is prohibited by the corresponding road sign.

The green arrow in the additional section has the same meaning. A switched off signal of an additional section or a switched on red light signal of its outline means that movement in the direction regulated by this section is prohibited.

Directions of movement at different traffic lights with one additional section (arrow)

Driving directions for different traffic lights with two additional sections (arrows)

6.4. If a black contour arrow(s) is applied to the main green traffic light signal, it informs drivers about the presence of an additional section of the traffic light and indicates other permitted directions of movement than the additional section signal.

6.5. If a traffic light signal is made in the form of a silhouette of a pedestrian and (or) a bicycle, then its effect applies only to pedestrians (cyclists). In this case, the green signal allows, and the red signal prohibits, the movement of pedestrians (cyclists).

To regulate the movement of cyclists, a traffic light with round signals of reduced size, complemented by a rectangular white plate measuring 200x200 mm with a picture of a black bicycle, can also be used.

6.6. To inform blind pedestrians about the possibility of crossing the roadway, traffic light signals can be supplemented with an audible signal.

6.7. To regulate the movement of vehicles along lanes of the roadway, in particular along those in which the direction of movement can change to the opposite, reversible traffic lights with a red X-shaped signal and a green signal in the form of an arrow pointing downwards are used. These signals respectively prohibit or allow movement in the lane above which they are located.

The main signals of a reversible traffic light can be supplemented by a yellow signal in the form of an arrow, tilted diagonally down to the right or left, the inclusion of which informs about the upcoming change of signal and the need to change lanes to which the arrow points.

When the signals of the reversing traffic light, which is located above the lane marked on both sides by markings 1.9, are turned off, entry into this lane is prohibited.

6.8. To regulate the movement of trams, as well as other route vehicles moving along the lane allocated for them, single-color traffic lights with four round white-moon colored signals located in the shape of the letter “T” can be used. Movement is permitted only when the lower signal and one or more upper ones are turned on simultaneously, of which the left one allows movement to the left, the middle one allows movement straight, and the right one allows movement to the right. If only the top three signals are on, then movement is prohibited.

Directions of movement of trams at different traffic lights of a single-color white-lunar signal

6.9. A round white-lunar flashing signal located at a railroad crossing allows vehicles to move through the crossing. When the flashing white-lunar and red signals are turned off, movement is permitted if there is no train (locomotive, handcar) approaching the crossing within sight.

6.10. The traffic controller signals have the following meanings:

• Arms extended to the sides or lowered:
• from the left and right sides, the tram is allowed to move straight, trackless vehicles straight and to the right, pedestrians are allowed to cross the roadway;
• from the chest and back, the movement of all vehicles and pedestrians is prohibited.
• Right arm extended forward:
• from the left side, trams are allowed to move to the left, and trackless vehicles in all directions;
• from the chest side, all vehicles are allowed to move only to the right;
• from the right side and back, the movement of all vehicles is prohibited;
• Pedestrians are allowed to cross the road behind the traffic controller.

• the movement of all vehicles and pedestrians is prohibited in all directions, except as provided for in paragraph 6.14 of the Rules.

The traffic controller can give hand gestures and other signals that are understandable to drivers and pedestrians.

For better visibility of signals, the traffic controller can use a rod or disk with a red signal (retroreflector).

Directions of movement at different traffic controller signals

6.11. A request to stop a vehicle is made using a loud-speaking device or a hand gesture directed at the vehicle. The driver must stop at the place indicated to him.

6.12. An additional whistle signal is given to attract the attention of traffic participants.

6.13. When there is a prohibitory signal from a traffic light (except a reversing one) or from a traffic controller, drivers must stop in front of the stop line (sign 6.16), and in its absence:

• at an intersection - in front of the roadway being crossed (taking into account clause 13.7 of the Rules), without interfering with pedestrians;
• before a railway crossing - in accordance with clause 15.4 of the Rules;
• in other places - in front of a traffic light or traffic controller, without interfering with vehicles and pedestrians whose movement is permitted.

6.14. Drivers who, when the yellow signal turns on or the traffic controller raises his hand up, cannot stop without resorting to emergency braking in the places determined by paragraph 6.13 of the Rules, are allowed to continue driving.

Pedestrians who were on the roadway when the signal was given must clear it, and if this is not possible, stop on the line dividing traffic flows in opposite directions.

6.15. Drivers and pedestrians must comply with the signals and orders of the traffic controller, even if they contradict traffic light signals, road signs or markings.

If the meanings of traffic light signals contradict the requirements of priority road signs, drivers must be guided by the traffic light signals.

6.16. At railway crossings, simultaneously with the red flashing traffic light, an audible signal may be sounded, additionally informing traffic participants that movement through the crossing is prohibited.

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In what case are you obliged to give way to a tram?

The turned on turn signal informs you that the paths of your car and the tram intersect at an intersection. Considering that this traffic light simultaneously allows you and the tram driver to move, you are obliged to give way to the tram.

Everyone learns traffic rules from kindergarten. However, when getting behind the wheel, many begin to get confused about basic things, including the designation of traffic light colors. Seeing a yellow light, drivers press on the gas even harder, trying to get through the intersection as quickly as possible. Their neighbors from the perpendicular road also react accordingly and hit the gas, not wanting to wait for the green light. As a result, both of them find themselves in a stupid situation. So is it possible to drive through an intersection on yellow?

The rules give a clear answer. According to clause 6.2 of the traffic rules, a yellow signal strictly prohibits movement and you cannot start when the traffic light is yellow.

However, there are two exceptions. According to paragraph 6.14 of the traffic rules, if the car does not have time to slow down smoothly and emergency braking poses a danger, then you can continue driving.

This is taken advantage of by many drivers in a hurry, who pretend not to notice the flashing green, and then flashing yellow, and rush past the traffic light. Often such passages end in accidents, since the same rusher can jump out towards you, and then it depends only on the driver’s reaction whether a tragedy will happen or everything will be ok with body repairs. Traffic accident inspectors arriving at the scene try to understand the situation and find the culprit.

Another point of the traffic rules helps to do this - 13.8. He says that when the traffic light turns on, the driver is still required to give way to cars and pedestrians who are at the intersection.

Therefore, often a driver who does not allow someone rushing to turn yellow may be found guilty. However, more often than not, inspectors rule on mutual guilt. And such a verdict results in problems with the registration of compulsory motor liability insurance.

In general, driving through a yellow traffic light is a game of Russian roulette, the prize for which is a couple of minutes of extra time, and the punishment for losing is a damaged car. Therefore, it is best to hold your horses and start slowing down in advance, not even for yellow, but for flashing green.

However, there is one more exception that allows you to drive on a yellow traffic light. This is a flashing yellow section that warns drivers when they are approaching a dangerous intersection. Usually this traffic light mode is turned on at night. In this case, the order of passage through the intersection is determined by road signs hanging next to the traffic light.

Author: Vladimir Gavrilov

You intend to turn left. Your actions?

A green traffic light gives you the right to move left. In this case, you must drive in the intended direction regardless of the traffic light signal at the exit from the intersection.

Driving through intersections in accordance with traffic regulations

Your actions should be determined by where exactly the traffic light caught you . For example, if you are just before an intersection and the intersection is not very wide, you can continue driving when the green light is flashing.

If the red light comes on while you are still passing the intersection, you can complete the maneuver in accordance with clause 13.7 of the traffic rules. That is, when entering an intersection while the permit signal has not stopped lighting, you are obliged to continue driving to the exit.

You should not do this in only one case - if you see a traffic jam behind the intersection. According to clause 13.2. According to traffic regulations, it is prohibited to enter an intersection if there is a traffic jam at it, regardless of the traffic light signal.

If it is still a long way to the edge of the roadway, the traffic light begins to flash, and you are moving slowly, you should not speed up - stop in front of the intersection and wait for the required signal. After the green signal, the yellow one will turn on - according to clause 6.2 of the traffic rules, it prohibits further driving (read about what the consequences may be when driving through a yellow traffic light here.

For vehicles that can no longer stop because they have already entered the roadway, provisions are provided in clause 6.14 of the traffic rules. In this case, sanctions for violation depend on how the traffic police inspector treats the situation.

When a car drives onto the road, the driver must remember the responsibility and punishment for violating traffic rules. We advise you to look at our articles about what happens for running a red light through a railway crossing, as well as crossing a stop line in front of a traffic light.

You intend to turn left. Your actions?

A green traffic light gives you the right to move left. But, since at this intersection there is a stop line in front of the traffic light installed on the dividing strip, you must stop in front of it and wait for the green signal.

Curious facts

• The first traffic light, consisting of three color signals, was installed in Detroit back in 1920.
• The year 1930 was significant with the appearance of the first traffic light in Russia. It was installed between Liteiny and Nevsky prospects. Soon after this, in the same year, a traffic light could be seen in the capital.
• The most complex traffic light is rightfully considered to be the one located in Berlin. It has thirteen signals!
• According to experts, people living in megacities spend up to six months of their lives just waiting for a green traffic light.
• To avoid attacks and robberies in disadvantaged areas of Rio de Janeiro, the city allows driving on red lights between ten in the evening and five in the morning.
• The color blue is difficult for drivers to perceive on the roads. The Japanese were able to verify this when they used blue instead of green at traffic lights. Soon the color signal was changed.
• In Novosibirsk and London there are traffic light monuments, which is one of the attractions of these cities.

• Surely many are wondering why red, yellow and green traffic light colors are used to regulate traffic on the roadway. Scientists explain this by the fact that these colors have the longest wavelengths in the spectrum. Therefore, the listed color signals can be seen from a long distance, which is simply necessary for road safety.
• In the very first traffic lights, the green light did not mean “Go”, but “Attention”. While white allowed us to continue moving. But due to the fact that in the dark, drivers confused this light with the shine of stars or the moon in the sky, it was decided to change the color scheme on the device.

We cannot imagine our life without traffic lights on the roads. They are the ones who guide us, drivers and pedestrians, thereby ensuring comfortable and safe road traffic in cities and countries.

You intend to drive straight through the intersection. Your actions?

The turned on tram turn signal informs you that the paths of your car and the tram intersect at an intersection. Considering that the green traffic light allows you to go straight, and the tram traffic light in the shape of the letter “T” prohibits the tram from turning right, you can pass the intersection first.

You intend to drive straight through the intersection. Your actions?

A green traffic light gives you and oncoming vehicles the right to move. In this case, you must give way only to the tram. An oncoming passenger car is not allowed to pass through the intersection together with a tram.

When turning left you:

A green traffic light gives the right to move to all vehicles. But when turning left, you must give way to a tram, which has priority over trackless vehicles, as well as to an oncoming passenger car (traffic rules 13.4).

You intend to turn left. Who should give way to?

A green traffic light gives you and oncoming vehicles the right to move. At the same time, when turning left, you must give way to a tram and a car turning right.

In what case will you not have to give way to other road users?

A green traffic light allows you and the tram to move. At the same time, if you intend to move left or in the opposite direction at this intersection, you will have to give way to the tram, and when turning right - to pedestrians. Thus, only when driving straight is it not necessary to give way to anyone.

When can you drive through a red traffic light?

So, traffic police rules in most cases do not allow the driver to drive through a prohibiting traffic light. The fine for such a violation recorded by a traffic police officer or an automatic camera is 1,000 rubles, as stated in Article 12.12 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation.

For a repeated violation, if it was recorded by a traffic police inspector, the motorist faces a fine of 5,000 rubles or deprivation of rights for a period of 4-6 months. If this violation was recorded by a camera, the driver will have to pay a fine of 5,000 rubles.

If a motorist runs a prohibiting traffic light at a railway crossing, the punishment will be a fine of 1,000 rubles or deprivation of a driver’s license for a period of 3 to 6 months.

Now let's look at a few exceptions. Thus, paragraph 6.15 of the Traffic Rules states that “drivers and pedestrians must comply with the requirements of signals and orders of the traffic controller.” Moreover, they are obliged to obey the instructions of the traffic controller “even if they contradict the traffic lights, the requirements of road signs or markings.” Thus, the motorist must follow the instructions of the traffic controller even if he has to drive through a prohibitory traffic light.

According to the Rules of the Road, a car with a blue flashing light on when performing an official task has priority on the road. Other road users must give way to special vehicles, and ignoring this rule will cost them from 3,000 to 5,000 rubles in fines.

It is interesting that, although the rules require the driver to always give way to special vehicles, they do not directly tell him to violate traffic rules and drive through a red traffic light. So, if a motorist obeys the rule and, giving priority to, for example, an ambulance, runs a red light, then it is possible that he will receive a fine from a video recording camera. In a good scenario, the driver may be able to prove that he could not avoid running the red light.

If there is another case when at a traffic light you can go to the prohibiting traffic light signal. It is described in paragraph 13.7 of the Traffic Rules. There, in particular, it says that if a motorist entered an intersection when the traffic light signal allowed, then he is obliged to drive in the intended direction, regardless of the traffic light signal at the exit from the intersection.

It turns out that even if the driver starts turning left and gets stuck in a traffic jam, he is obliged to continue turning and moving in the chosen direction even when the red light comes on. Other motorists are required to let such a car pass. This is stated in 13.8 of the Traffic Rules: “when the traffic light turns on, the driver is obliged to give way to vehicles completing their movement through the intersection, and to pedestrians who have not completed crossing the roadway in this direction.”

There is also a nuance when turning “under the arrow”. Thus, traffic regulations do not prohibit turning on a red traffic light if this maneuver is permitted by a lit arrow in the additional section. In this case, the driver can turn to red, but first he must give way to all cars, both oncoming and passing traffic.

Another nuance with driving at prohibitory traffic lights is described in paragraphs 6.13 and 6.14 of the Traffic Rules. Thus, there are cases when a driver who is forced to stop at a yellow traffic light (which is also a signal prohibiting movement) has to resort to emergency braking. But if the motorist cannot stop without resorting to emergency braking in places such as, for example, an intersection, a railway crossing or in front of a traffic light, then he is allowed to continue driving.

When deciding to drive through a prohibitory traffic light, even if the Traffic Rules permit it, the motorist, of course, must make sure that his maneuver is carried out in safe conditions. It is also important to understand that in doing so he does not endanger his life and the lives of other road users.

You intend to turn right. Your actions?

This traffic light signal gives you and the tram drivers the right to move. And since to turn right you need to cross the tram tracks, you must give way to both trams.