What NC’s new red flashing traffic lights mean
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — The North Carolina Department of Transportation is changing the way traffic lights flash during a signal malfunction.
The department says they have begun modifying traffic signals so they will revert to a flashing red in every direction whenever there is a problem, such as an equipment failure or a perceived error, that disrupts their normal operation.
NCDOT says drivers should treat this kind of flashing mode like a conventional all-way stop.
“We are making this change to improve the safety of our intersections and provide a consistent display when the signal is not operating normally,” said Nick Zinser, NCDOT’s Western Region Signals Engineer based in Garner. “If a signal is in flashing mode or dark due to power loss, it becomes an all-way stop condition for vehicles and pedestrians.”
Previously when a signal malfunctioned, the department used a yellow-red flashing mode. While the main corridor with the heavier traffic received a flashing yellow for drivers to cautiously proceed, the side street drivers received a flashing red instructing them to come to a complete stop and wait until there was a safe gap in traffic.
NCDOT has more than 9,000 signalized intersections across the state. The department says it will phase in this change over the next year as part of the preventative maintenance it already conducts on traffic signals.
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