Which traffic violation occurs when a driver proceeds through a red arrow signal?

Which traffic violation occurs when a driver proceeds through a red arrow signal?

• A. Turn on red not permitted
• B. Moved from lane unsafely
• C. Passed red arrow
• D. Fail to yield at yield sign

Answer: (C)

Red arrows control only the movement in the direction the arrow points. When the signal for that direction is red, you must come to a complete stop and may not proceed in that direction until the arrow turns green or is otherwise allowed. Going through a red arrow is illegal because you’re ignoring that specific instruction for the turn or movement it governs. This is exactly what the term “passing a red arrow” describes in the traffic code, a distinct violation from other red-light situations. The other options describe different violations: turning on red is a separate rule about red lights in general, an unsafe lane change is about how you move between lanes, and failing to yield at a yield sign is about giving way to others. None of those describe the act of going through a red arrow.

Red arrows control only the movement in the direction the arrow points. When the signal for that direction is red, you must come to a complete stop and may not proceed in that direction until the arrow turns green or is otherwise allowed. Going through a red arrow is illegal because you’re ignoring that specific instruction for the turn or movement it governs. This is exactly what the term “passing a red arrow” describes in the traffic code, a distinct violation from other red-light situations.

The other options describe different violations: turning on red is a separate rule about red lights in general, an unsafe lane change is about how you move between lanes, and failing to yield at a yield sign is about giving way to others. None of those describe the act of going through a red arrow.