Traffic signals and arrows

Key points

1. Stacked signal lights are green, yellow and red from bottom to top.

   Source: Handbook p. 3

   “Traffic lights are usually at intersections and are green, yellow and red, from bottom to top, when together.”
   New Mexico Driver Manual, Handbook p. 3

2. On a steady green, you may go, but if you were stopped you must let crossing traffic clear the intersection first.

   Source: Handbook p. 4

   “If you are stopped and then the light turns green, you must allow crossing traffic to clear the intersection before you go ahead.”
   New Mexico Driver Manual, Handbook p. 4

3. Turning left on a steady green, you may turn only when safe; oncoming traffic has the right of way.

   Source: Handbook p. 4

   “If you are turning left, a steady green traffic light means you may turn but only when safe to do so. Oncoming traffic has the right-of-way.”
   New Mexico Driver Manual, Handbook p. 4

4. A steady yellow means the light is about to turn red; stop if it is safe, but if you are already in the intersection, keep going.

   Source: Handbook p. 4

   “You must stop if it is safe to do so. If you are in the intersection when the yellow light comes on, do not stop but continue through the intersection.”
   New Mexico Driver Manual, Handbook p. 4

5. A flashing yellow light means slow down and proceed with caution.

   Source: Handbook p. 4

   “A flashing YELLOW traffic light means slow down and proceed with caution.”
   New Mexico Driver Manual, Handbook p. 4

6. A yellow arrow means the green arrow's protection is ending; prepare to stop and yield to oncoming traffic before turning.

   Source: Handbook p. 4

   “A YELLOW arrow means that the protection of a green arrow is ending and if you are turning in the direction of the arrow, you should prepare to stop and give the right of way to oncoming traffic before turning.”
   New Mexico Driver Manual, Handbook p. 4

7. On a steady red you may turn right after a full stop if it is safe and no sign prohibits it.

   Source: Handbook p. 4

   “If you are turning right, you may turn after coming to a full stop, if it is safe to do so and if there is no sign prohibiting the turn on a red light.”
   New Mexico Driver Manual, Handbook p. 4

8. A flashing red light means the same as a stop sign.

   Source: Handbook p. 4

   “A flashing RED traffic light means the same as a stop sign. You must come to a full stop and then may proceed when it is safe to do so.”
   New Mexico Driver Manual, Handbook p. 4

9. A red arrow means stop; you may not go in that direction until a green arrow or light comes on.

   Source: Handbook p. 4

   “A RED arrow means you must stop and you cannot go in the direction of the arrow. You may proceed when the red arrow goes off and a green arrow or light goes on.”
   New Mexico Driver Manual, Handbook p. 4

3 questions from the New Mexico practice test

1. 1. A yellow signal is flashing at an intersection. What driving response does the manual call for?

   1. Stop and remain stopped until a green light appears
   2. Slow down and proceed with caution
   3. Speed up because the intersection has priority
   4. Treat the signal as permission to disregard pedestrians
   Show answer

   Slow down and proceed with caution. A flashing yellow light calls for reduced speed and cautious progress through the intersection. It is not a stop signal that requires waiting for green, and it does not cancel the driver's duty to watch for pedestrians, crossing traffic, or other hazards. Speeding up removes the time needed to react. Approach with control, scan the complete intersection, and be ready to stop if the conditions make continuing unsafe.

2. 2. What does a flashing red traffic signal mean?

   1. Treat it like a flashing yellow and continue without stopping
   2. Treat it like a stop sign, then proceed when safe
   3. Stop only if a pedestrian is waiting
   4. Use it as permission to turn in any direction
   Show answer

   Treat it like a stop sign, then proceed when safe. A flashing red signal carries the same requirement as a stop sign. Come to a full stop, check crossing traffic and pedestrians, and proceed only when the movement is safe. Treating it like yellow removes the required stop, while a pedestrian’s presence is not the condition that activates the rule. The signal also does not authorize every turn. Use the familiar stop-sign sequence: stop completely, yield as needed, and enter only after the route is clear.

3. 3. What should a driver do when a yellow arrow appears while turning in its direction?

   1. Continue with the protection of a green arrow
   2. Prepare to stop and yield to oncoming traffic before turning
   3. Turn without checking for approaching vehicles
   4. Treat the arrow as a flashing red signal
   Show answer

   Prepare to stop and yield to oncoming traffic before turning. A yellow arrow means the protection provided by a green arrow is ending. A driver turning in that direction should prepare to stop and give the right of way to oncoming traffic before turning. The choice “Continue with the protection of a green arrow” assumes that the green arrow protection continues, which is precisely what the yellow change warns is ending. The choice “Turn without checking for approaching vehicles” removes the required yield, and the fourth assigns the signal the wrong color's meaning. Check the intersection, anticipate the red phase, and complete a turn only after oncoming traffic has been given priority.

Source: the New Mexico Driver Manual, Rules of the Road. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.