When flagging at night, how should you hold and move the flashlight to guide drivers?

• A. Stand still with flashlight pointed downward.
• B. Hold the flashlight in your non-dominant hand and keep it still.
• C. Hold it in your free hand and slowly sweep it across your body.
• D. Point the flashlight directly at drivers’ eyes.

Answer: (C)

At night, the signal is a moving beacon that drivers can follow. The best way to use a flashlight is to hold it in your free hand and slowly sweep it across your body. This creates a clear, progressing signal that stays visible from farther away and from different angles as you move with the traffic. Sweeping keeps drivers from glancing into a bright, fixed light and helps prevent glare, while still drawing attention to your movements and indicating how to respond.

Standing still with the light pointed downward reduces visibility, and keeping the light still in your other hand makes the signal less noticeable. Pointing the light directly at drivers’ eyes can cause temporary blindness or distraction, which is unsafe.