Right-of-way and intersections
You approach a crosswalk that has built-in flashing lights, but right now the lights are not flashing. What should you do?
- Look for pedestrians and be ready to stop anyway. Correct answer
- Keep your speed, since the lights would be flashing if anyone were crossing.
- Come to a full stop before the crosswalk every time, as at a STOP sign.
Why
Flashing lights at a crosswalk help, but they do not decide whether someone is crossing. The handbook gives the same instruction whether they are on or dark: watch for pedestrians and be prepared to stop. Pedestrians have the right-of-way in a crosswalk, marked or not, so the answer that trusts the dark lights is the dangerous one. A mandatory stop every time is not what the rule asks; it asks you to be ready. When someone is crossing and there is a limit line in front of the crosswalk, that line is where you stop. School crossings may be painted with yellow lines instead of the usual white.
Where this comes from
California Driver's Handbook, June 2025 edition. The correct answer is Look for pedestrians and be ready to stop anyway.
The rule behind this one
Right of way in California: who goes first goes through the whole topic, with the page of the California Driver's Handbook behind every rule.
More on right-of-way and intersections
- You drive an electric car and are backing out of a driveway while a pedestrian with a guide dog walks nearby. Why does the handbook ask for extra care with hybrid and electric vehicles here?
- You reach an intersection that has no STOP or YIELD signs at the same time as another vehicle, which is on your right. What should you do?
- What should you do as you approach a roundabout and prepare to enter it?
- An ambulance with its siren and red lights on is coming up behind you while you are in the middle of an intersection. What should you do?