Chapter 15: Traffic Signals
Red
A red light means a complete stop before the limit line, crosswalk, or intersection — whichever comes first. California permits a right turn on red after a full stop and a careful check for pedestrians and cross traffic, unless a sign specifically prohibits it at that intersection.
Yellow
Yellow is a transition warning, not an invitation to speed up. It gives you roughly three seconds before the light turns red, intended to let a driver already committed to the intersection clear it safely — not to squeeze through from a distance.
Green
Green means you may proceed, but only after yielding to anyone still legally finishing their pass through the intersection — a pedestrian partway through the crosswalk, or a car completing a legal left turn from oncoming traffic.
Red Arrows
A red arrow is more absolute than a red circle — it means no turn in that direction at all, even after stopping, unlike a standard red light's allowance for right turns.