The Light That Is Changing
Veh. Code 21453 — stop at the limit line on red, and then turn right, or left from one way to one way, unless a sign prohibits it
The yellow is a warning. A driver facing a steady circular yellow or yellow arrow signal is warned by it that the related green movement is ending or that a red indication will be shown immediately after.
Red, then a turn. A driver facing a steady circular red signal alone stops at a marked limit line or, if none, before the crosswalk on the near side, or if none, before the intersection, and remains stopped until an indication to proceed is shown. Except where a sign prohibits it, the driver may then turn right, or turn left from a one way street onto a one way street.
Yielding on the turn. A driver turning on red yields to pedestrians lawfully in an adjacent crosswalk and to any vehicle approaching so closely as to be an immediate hazard, and keeps yielding until the turn can be made with reasonable safety.
| The light | What the section says |
|---|---|
| The lightSteady yellow | What the section saysA warning that the green movement is ending or a red is coming next |
| The lightSteady circular red | What the section saysStop at the limit line, the crosswalk, or the intersection, in that order |
| The lightTurn on a circular red | What the section saysRight, or left from one way to one way, after stopping, unless a sign prohibits it |
| The lightSteady red arrow | What the section saysNo entering to make the arrow's movement; stop and remain stopped |
Arrows, flashing lights and pedestrian signals are set out in the same sections, and not all of them are on this page. What a particular ticket means is a question for a licensed California attorney.
Sources for this section (2)
- Veh. Code 21452 — Steady yellow signal
- Veh. Code 21453 — Steady red signal; turns on red
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed California attorney.