YOU’RE ABOUT TO make a left turn at an intersection when you see something new: a flashing yellow left arrow. What should you do?

The short answer: Proceed the same way you would when turning left with a solid green light. After yielding to oncoming traffic and pedestrians, make the turn.

So why the change if the two signals mean the same thing? Another short answer: clarity. “The concern is that drivers turning left on a permissive circular green signal might mistake that signal as implying that the left turn has the right-of-way over opposing traffic,” the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) notes.

While not all signals will be converted (expect to continue to see some solid greens for left turns), communities that adopt the flashing yellow arrow can expect safer intersections. In 2020, the FHWA found that the signal can reduce crashes related to left-turn movements by 15 to 50 percent.

“It’s a great addition,” says Josh Dunning, vice president of AARP Driver Safety. “Left-hand turns are dangerous for everyone driving.” —Elise Ceyral