What does a blinking yellow arrow mean?
When used in a signal with solid red/yellow/green arrows, means that permissive (yield to oncoming traffic) left turns are allowed – used when the through signals turn red to allow oncoming traffic to have both a through green and lagging protected green left arrow in order to prevent a “yellow trap”, in which left-turning cars already in the intersection are not able to cross oncoming lanes to clear the intersection. http://projects.kittelson.com/pplt/ has detailed information including animated graphic examples. Variations include a solid green in the same direction as other signals with a solid red, with the green obscured except to those in the left-turn lane(s) (“Dallas Display”), and a flashing solid red (used extensively in MI) or flashing red arrow (used in DE and MD in various signal configurations) in the left-turn signal – all are also covered at the aforementioned website. Occasionally flashing yellow arrow beacons are used, combining the meanings of an arrow sign and a fla
