2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE NINE - Highways and Traffic (§§ 1-8 — 5725) › Chapter 27 - Vehicle and Traffic Law (2000) › Subchapter VII - Traffic Lights, Signs and Markings (§§ 5221 — 5228) › § 5222 - Traffic lights, signs and markings

When traffic is controlled by traffic lights of different colors, or colored arrows that light up one at a time, or in combination, only green, red and yellow colors shall be used, with the exception of special signs for pedestrians with written messages, and said lights shall direct and shall apply to drivers of vehicles or motor vehicles as well as pedestrians, as follows:
(a)
(1) Green light. — The driver of a motor vehicle facing a green traffic light shall continue driving in the same direction, or may turn to the right or to the left to enter another road, provided there is no sign prohibiting such turns, and that this movement does not close or obstruct traffic in the intersection. He/she shall also yield the right of way to vehicles and pedestrians that are lawfully in the intersection or on an adjacent crosswalk at the time the light changes.
(2) Pedestrians facing a green traffic light, unless otherwise indicated, shall cross the road on the crosswalk, whether marked or not, with reasonable speed.
(b)
(1) Red light. — The driver of every vehicle facing a red traffic light shall stop the vehicle at the place marked for such purpose on the pavement, or where indicated by a “STOP WITH RED LIGHT” sign, if any, or before reaching the crosswalk nearest to the intersection if there is no such mark or sign. If there is no such mark nor a marked crosswalk, nor a “Stop Here” sign, the driver shall then stop before entering the intersection, and shall not proceed until the light changes to green, except in those cases referred to in § 5224 of this title.
(2) Pedestrians facing a red traffic light shall not cross the road, except as otherwise indicated by a law enforcement officer.
(3) Except when a sign forbidding a turn is installed, vehicles moving on the extreme right-hand lane, facing red signal lights, may turn to the right onto a two-way public road or a one-way public road on which the traffic flows to the right of such vehicles.
(4) Vehicles moving on the extreme left lane of a one-way road, facing red light signals, may turn to the left to a one-way public road on which the traffic flows to the left of said vehicles.
(5) Before making the turn indicated in clauses (3) and (4) of this subsection, the vehicles must come to a stop as required in clause (1) of this subsection, and yield right of way to the pedestrians who are lawfully on an adjacent crosswalk, and to other vehicles lawfully using the intersection.
(6) Vehicles traveling on public highways between twelve (12) midnight and five (5) o’clock in the morning, when facing a red light, shall stop and then continue driving, provided due precautions are taken.
(c)
(1) Yellow light. — Fixed yellow traffic lights warn the driver that traffic has ended in the direction indicated by the green light, and that the red light forbidding the vehicles to enter the intersection shall be lighted immediately afterwards. The driver of every vehicle facing a yellow traffic light must come to a full stop before entering the intersection. When stopping cannot occur without endangering safety, the driver may continue on its way and cross the intersection, taking all due precautions.
(2) Pedestrians facing a yellow traffic light shall refrain from starting to cross the public road.
(d)
(1) Green arrow, with or without a red light. — The driver of any vehicle facing a traffic light showing a green arrow, either alone or combined with another indication, may only enter an intersection in the direction of the arrow, or perform any other movement authorized by other indications shown simultaneously, taking all necessary precautions, and shall yield right of way to pedestrians that are legally on an adjacent crosswalk and to other vehicles that are legally crossing the intersection.
(2) Pedestrians facing this signal may cross the public road on the crosswalk, whether marked or not, except in those cases in which there is a pedestrian traffic signal, or other device which indicates otherwise or when the only green light is an arrow that indicates a turn.
(3) The traffic lights showing a single yellow lighted arrow combined with another signal warn the driver that traffic in the direction indicated by the green light has stopped, and that the red light or red arrow will be lighted immediately afterwards forbidding the driver to enter the intersection to continue driving in said direction. The driver of every vehicle facing a traffic light showing a lighted yellow arrow must stop as required in subsection (c)(1) of this section.
(4) Pedestrians facing traffic lights showing a lighted yellow arrow shall refrain from starting to cross the public highway.
(5) The driver of any vehicle facing a traffic light with a lighted red arrow shall not continue to move in the direction indicated by the arrow and shall stop at the place marked for such purpose on the pavement, or before reaching the crosswalk closest to the intersection, if there were no such mark. If there were no such mark, nor a marked crosswalk, the driver shall stop at the intersection and shall not continue to move in the appropriate direction until the light with the corresponding green arrow, or the green light comes on.
(6) Pedestrians facing a traffic light showing a lighted red arrow and at the same time also face lights with green arrows or lights may cross the public road on the crosswalk whether it is marked or not, except in those cases in which there is a traffic light for pedestrians and another signal that indicates otherwise.
(e)
(1) Flashing yellow light. — The driver of every vehicle facing traffic lights showing a blinking yellow light may cross the intersection or pass said light, but only after taking the necessary precautions.
(2) These provisions shall not apply to railroad or urban train crossings as provided by the Secretary.
(f)
(1) Blinking red light. — The driver of every vehicle facing blinking red traffic lights shall stop on the clearly marked stop line, or if there were none, shall do so before reaching the crosswalk closest to the intersection. If there were no crosswalk, the driver shall then do so at the closest point to the public road crossing where the driver can see the traffic that is flowing along it before entering the intersection, and in such case, the right of way shall be subject to the rules that apply when the driver must stop before a stop sign.
(2) These provisions shall not apply to railroad or urban train crossings as provided by the Secretary.
(g) Intelligent traffic lights. — With the establishment of the Tren Urbano, a system of “Intelligent Traffic Lights” shall commence, which may be operated by means of an electronic device by the drivers of the Metropolitan Bus Authority (Autoridad Metropolitana de Autobuses or AMA, in Spanish), or by the officers of the Traffic Ordinance Corps, thus decongesting traffic in areas next to the Tren Urbano stations.
(h) The provisions of this section shall also apply in the case of traffic lights that have been installed in places that are not intersections, except for those provisions that because of their nature are not applicable. Every required stop shall be made at the place indicated by a sign or mark on the pavement, but if there is no such sign or marking, the stop shall be made before reaching the traffic light.
(i) Every driver that approaches an intersection where a damaged or out-of-service traffic light is located, shall take proper care when approaching said intersection and on crossing it, following the same rules that would apply if there were no traffic light in said intersection.
(j) Every driver who violates the provisions of this section with regard to traffic lights shall incur an administrative fault and shall be punished by a fine of one hundred and fifty dollars ($150); if the violation involves passing a red light without having stopped, he/she shall be punished by a fine of two hundred and fifty dollars ($250), and in the case the person repeats the offense on three (3) occasions, his/her drivers’ license shall be suspended for a term of three (3) years.
History —Jan. 7, 2000, No. 22, § 8.02; June 3, 2004, No. 132, § 8; Feb. 17, 2006, No. 63, § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 2007.