You're waiting at an intersection and the light is about to turn green.  All of a sudden, the white strobe light starts flashing at the stoplight.  What does it mean?

Living in Illinois, there are tons of 911 calls that happen all over the state.

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In Rockford, there's an emergency vehicle headed to a call every few minutes.  At least that's what it seems like every time I'm driving around town!

If you're at an intersection and see the white strobe light flashing above the regular stoplight, have you ever wondered what it actually means?

Here's What A White Flashing Light At Illinois Intersections Indicates

Emergency vehicles are usually involved in high-pressure situations and need to get to their destination quickly and safely.  The white strobe lights next to stoplights help ensure drivers on the road are aware of an approaching emergency vehicle.

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Related: Weird Things You Can Do At Stoplights In Illinois If You're Bored

With alerting drivers before they approach, this could significantly reduce risk of accidents and allow emergency personnel to reach their destination faster.

Every second counts when we're talking life or death situations.  So clear the way!

Next time you're at an intersection and questioning what the white light actually means, remember it's to protect you, emergency vehicles, and other drivers from a disastrous pile up.  The more you know!

Can You Identify These 20 Intersections in Rockford?

Rockford has some weird intersections as well as "worst" intersections. Test your knowledge and see if you can correctly name all 20 of these interactions in the forest city.

LOOK: Here are the 25 best places to live in Illinois

Stacker compiled a list of the best places to live in Illinois using data from Niche. Niche ranks places to live based on a variety of factors including cost of living, schools, health care, recreation, and weather. Cities, suburbs, and towns were included. Listings and images are from realtor.com.

On the list, there's a robust mix of offerings from great schools and nightlife to high walkability and public parks. Some areas have enjoyed rapid growth thanks to new businesses moving to the area, while others offer glimpses into area history with well-preserved architecture and museums. Keep reading to see if your hometown made the list.

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