When catastrophic storms — like Irma and Harvey — tear across the country, millions of people and business are affected in countless ways, and the recovery can take days, weeks or even years.
With downed trees, power lines and debris, driving can be a serious concern after a storm. As drivers begin to get back on the roads, you may come across traffic lights with no signal or flashing colors. While the protocol might come easy to some, others may not know what to do in this situation, which can cause major accidents or traffic jams.
Read more: Why you shouldn’t use your hazard lights when driving in bad weather
Here’s what to do at a broken traffic light
- Flashing red: Treat as a stop sign
- Flashing yellow: Proceed slowly through the intersection
- No signal: Treat as a four-way stop
Codes and statutes across the country agree (here are the specifics for Florida).
There are lots of traffic lights out across the metro. Here is a reminder of what to do if you come across one: https://t.co/mCc5lgueZW pic.twitter.com/5lqnBIBfhP
— WSB-TV (@wsbtv) September 11, 2017
The key takeaway: Don’t wait until you’re at a light that’s not working to think about how to proceed!
Read more: Beware of ”˜storm chasers’ after Irma
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