In the past few years, a growing number of cities have begun adding a new signal light to their streets: the flashing yellow arrow. When illuminated, the flashing yellow arrow lets drivers know that they can legally make a left-hand turn after yielding to oncoming traffic and pedestrians. 

These signals are designed to help keep drivers safer during heavy traffic and to reduce delays when traffic is light. Unfortunately, some drivers initially find the signals confusing simply because they’re unfamiliar. So here’s a video, produced by the City of Torrance, Calif., explaining what the flashing yellow arrow means.

You may want to pass this tip along to your drivers so they’re not caught off-guard by this new signal. Three years ago, when the flashing yellow arrows began cropping up in parts of Wisconsin, some drivers were genuinely perplexed, as the video below shows.