What to Do at an Intersection With Flashing Lights
Birmingham is the second-largest city in Alabama. Like any large city, it’s crisscrossed with busy city streets. Most of the intersections in Birmingham are regulated by traffic lights that switch between green, yellow, and red. However, you may occasionally come upon a traffic light that’s blinking red or yellow.
Because these traffic signals are relatively uncommon, some drivers may not be familiar with what they should do at an intersection with a flashing light. In this worst-case scenario, this unfamiliarity could cause an accident. The best way to avoid a car accident or other mishap is to understand the meaning of flashing lights at intersections.
What Does a Flashing Red Light Mean?
If you know how to proceed through an intersection when you encounter a stop sign, then you know how to handle a flashing red light. According to Alabama law, drivers are required to stop before entering an intersection with a flashing red light. After stopping, they may proceed using the same right-of-way laws as at an intersection with a stop sign.
These intersections can be more confusing than those controlled by stop signs. With a stop sign, you can usually tell right away whether the other approaches also have stop signs. That matters because the right-of-way rules change depending on whether it’s a four-way stop or a two-way stop.
When you approach an intersection with flashing lights, try to identify the signal controlling cross traffic. If the cross lane also has a flashing red light, treat the intersection as a four-way stop. If not, assume cross traffic may proceed through the intersection without stopping. Either way, slow down, look in every direction, and move through only when it’s safe to help prevent a collision.
Rules for Train Crossings
There’s another place where you may come across a flashing red light on an Alabama road: at a train crossing. The laws for train crossings are different from the laws for intersections with flashing red lights. When at a train crossing, you aren’t permitted to proceed until the light stops flashing.
What Does a Flashing Yellow Light Mean?
At an intersection, a flashing yellow light means “proceed with caution.” It effectively serves as a yield sign, meaning you should slow down and ensure that the intersection is clear before moving through. Typically, if one lane entering an intersection has a flashing yellow light, the other lane will have a flashing red light.
Why Are Flashing Traffic Lights Used?
Generally, flashing lights are used in place of signs on roads where signs may be difficult to see. They may also be displayed at the entrances or exits of rural highways because they’re visible at much greater distances.
Additionally, when a traffic light malfunctions, it may automatically switch to a flashing red light on all sides. This allows the light to continue to regulate traffic even though it isn’t operating properly.
Traveling Safely Through Intersections With Flashing Lights
The rules for traveling through an intersection with a flashing light are quite simple. However, you shouldn’t assume that other drivers will understand what these signals mean and respond accordingly. Instead, you should approach intersections with flashing lights cautiously to avoid a preventable intersection accident.
When you drive with an abundance of caution and avoid collisions, the worst thing that’s likely to happen is that you may get to your destination a little later than you intended. This is a significantly better outcome than being seriously injured in an automobile accident.
Contact Belt, Bruner & Barnett Personal Injury Lawyers for a Free Consultation With a Birmingham Car Accident Lawyer
If you or a loved one were injured in a car accident at an intersection in Birmingham, you don’t have to handle the aftermath alone. The experienced Birmingham car accident lawyers at Belt, Bruner & Barnett Personal Injury Lawyers can help you understand your rights, deal with insurance companies, and pursue the compensation you deserve.
Contact us today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.
Contact an experienced personal injury lawyer at Belt, Bruner & Barnett Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free initial consultation today.
We serve Shelby County, Madison County, Montgomery County in Alabama, and its surrounding areas. We are located in Birmingham, Huntsville & Montgomery.
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