Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law | April 8, 2025 | Car Accident
Most of the time, navigating an intersection isn’t difficult — all you need to do is wait for your light to turn green and proceed through. But what if you come upon an intersection with flashing lights? What you do next depends on the exact nature of the flashing light.
At an Intersection With a Flashing Red Light
Occasionally, you may find yourself at an intersection controlled by a single flashing red light. In this case, you should treat the light like a stop sign. When you arrive at the intersection, come to a complete stop, check to make sure the roadway is clear, and proceed when it’s safe to do so.
Crashes at intersections are unfortunately very common, so it’s important to be very careful — especially when dealing with relatively unfamiliar traffic signals.
Keep in mind that drivers approaching the intersection from a different direction may not be required to stop. Just like not every intersection with a stop sign is a four-way stop, not every intersection with a flashing red light has a red light in all directions.
At an Intersection With a Flashing Yellow Light
Generally, intersections where there is a greater risk of a car accident will be controlled by a flashing red light. If an intersection is safer, it might be controlled by a flashing yellow light instead.
A flashing yellow light is a signal to proceed with caution. You don’t have to stop before proceeding through, and if the intersection is clear, stopping could even be dangerous if the driver behind you is not expecting you to stop at the light.
Instead, you should slow down as you approach the intersection and look to see if you can spot any approaching traffic. If it is safe to do so, you may drive through the intersection. If it isn’t, wait for traffic to clear before driving forward.
An Intersection Where All Stoplights Are Blinking
If you come upon an intersection with traditional traffic lights but see that all lights are flashing red (or turned off entirely), there may be a malfunction. In this situation, you should treat the intersection like a four-way stop:
- When you get to the light, come to a complete stop
- The first vehicle to arrive at the intersection goes first
- If two cars arrive at the same time, the one on the right proceeds first
When driving through the intersection, proceed with caution. Other drivers may not know what to do at flashing lights and could crash into you if they don’t stop.
Knowing When to Yield
Like most states, Florida expects drivers to adhere to traffic laws whenever possible. However, it also asks that you yield the right of way if failing to yield would cause an accident.
For instance, imagine you approach a four-way stop at the same time as another car. You are on the right, so you have the right of way — but the other driver slams on the gas and speeds forward. Legally, you have the right of way, but you should let the other car go to avoid causing a crash.
Staying Safe At Intersections
Knowing what to do at an intersection controlled by flashing lights can give you a confidence boost behind the wheel. However, you shouldn’t assume everyone else on the road understands what to do. While it’s critical to understand the rules of the road, it’s also important to watch other drivers carefully and do what you can to avoid an accident.
Contact an Orlando Car Accident lawyer at Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law Today
For more information, please contact Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law to schedule a free consultation. We have five convenient locations in Florida, including Orlando, Palm Bay, Melbourne, Cocoa, and Titusville.
Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law – Orlando, FL Office
633 E Colonial Dr
Orlando, FL 32803
Phone: (407) 801-3000
Hours: Open 24/7
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Find us with our GeoCoordinates: 28.5534238,-81.3692001
Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law – Palm Bay, FL Office
4620 Lipscomb Street N.E Suite #3K
Palm Bay, FL 32905
Phone: (321) 677-5964
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Find us with our GeoCoordinates: 28.039083,-80.6083109
Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law – Melbourne, FL Office
1600 W Eau Gallie Blvd #205j
Melbourne, FL 32935
Phone: (321) 450-7134
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Find us with our GeoCoordinates: 28.1289147,-80.6461588
Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law – Cocoa, FL Office
717 S Cocoa Blvd STE 203
Cocoa, FL 32922
(321) 449-8042
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Find us with our GeoCoordinates: 28.3511613,-80.7312948
Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law – Titusville, FL Office
4527 S Hopkins Ave Suite B
Titusville, FL 32780
Phone: (407) 801-3000
Hours: Open 24/7
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Find us with our GeoCoordinates:28.5584923,-80.8010051