NC traffic signals will get a new safety modification. Here’s why and what to expect

A new traffic light modification will improve driver safety on the road during power outages, the N.C. Department of Transportation says.

Many traffic lights stopped working during severe thunderstorms that caused thousands of outages across the Charlotte area late last week, The Charlotte Observer reported.

Instead of flashing yellow, NCDOT will modify traffic signals so they flash red during a malfunction, according to a news release from the department.

“Drivers should treat this kind of flashing mode like a conventional all-way stop,” NCDOT says.

NCDOT Western Region Signals Engineer Nick Zinser said the move will improve driver safety by “providing a consistent display when the signals are not operating normally.”

The department will implement the change over the next year in more than 9,000 signalized intersections across the state, the news release says.

What should NC drivers do if a traffic signal stops working?

When a traffic signal at an intersection is not working due to a power outage or other malfunction, drivers are required to treat the intersection as an all-way stop, according to state law. This law does not apply when traffic is being directed by a law enforcement officer or another traffic control device.

At an all-way stop, the first vehicle to reach the intersection should move forward first, according to the N.C. Department of Transportation. If two vehicles reach an all-way stop at the same time, the driver on the right should proceed first.

When two facing vehicles approach an intersection at the same time, both drivers can continue straight or turn right, according to NCDOT. If one driver is going straight while the other wants to turn left, the driver who wants to turn left must yield.