Flashing beacons have different meanings and they are used to signal particular situations. Whenever you spot a flashing amber beacon on a vehicle, it means that a slow-moving, heavy vehicle is there on its duty. 

These amber beacon bearing vehicles can be plough trucks, farmwork or road maintenance trucks and sometimes reuse trucks too. 

Whenever you see an amber beacon flashing on the road, make sure to adjust your speed and your car’s position to give way to the slow-moving vehicle.

If these vehicles appear to be approaching your car, adjust your car for their safe passing by the road. Now, these beacons come in different colors, each with another message for you. Let’s break it down:

Blue Beacon

Blue beacons are like a superhero’s signal. They’re used by ambulances, fire trucks, police cars, doctors, or other emergency vehicles.

When these blue lights start flashing, and maybe there’s a siren wailing too, it’s a sign that you should move aside and let them pass quickly and safely.

Green Beacon

Green beacons are like a doctor’s call. When you see green lights, it means a doctor or a medical expert is rushing to or from an emergency. Just like with blue beacons, make way for them so they can get where they’re needed without delay.

Amber Beacon

Amber beacons are like the slow-motion button. They usually pop up on vehicles that don’t zoom down the road. These vehicles might be larger or heavier than usual or be doing some road work.

Here’s a list of the types of vehicles that often have amber lights:

• Things on, over, or under the road
• Tow trucks that rescue broken-down vehicles
• Vehicles checking fuel
• Garbage trucks
• Trucks that move stuff from one place to another
• Vehicles that clean or fix the road
• Vehicles that do surveys
• Cars that can’t go faster than 25 miles per hour
• Vast vehicles, more than 2.9 meters wide

Now, here’s a little quiz to check your knowledge

Question : 

What does seeing a flashing amber beacon on a moving vehicle mean?

Option 1

The vehicle is a doctor’s car.

Answer

Nope, that’s not it. Doctors’ cars have green beacons, not amber ones. Green means a medical pro is heading to an emergency.

Option 2

The vehicle is slow-moving.

Answer

Bingo! You got it right. Amber beacons usually mean the vehicle creeps along more slowly than usual. You might also see amber lights when road work is happening.

So, when you spot amber lights, remember to slow down and adjust your position on the road.

Option 3

The vehicle belongs to a school crossing patrol.

Answer

Oops, not quite right. School crossing guards don’t drive around in vehicles with amber beacons. They’re usually on foot, helping kids cross the road safely.

Option 4

The vehicle has broken down.

Answer

Nope, that’s not what amber lights mean. They might be on a breakdown recovery vehicle, but they’re not telling you the vehicle is broken down.

So, there you have it. Amber beacons are a gentle reminder to be cautious around slow or wide vehicles and let emergency heroes pass quickly. Stay safe on the road!