The game is played simultaneously, with 2-4 players trying to create particular traffic patterns on the game board in order to score. To start the game, nine cars – three each of red, blue and yellow – are placed randomly on the board's 16 intersections.
Each player is then dealt a equal number of target cards showing three adjacent cars in some pattern. Whenever you spot one of your target patterns on the game board, interrupt play – "Beep! Beep!" – and show the card. If you're correct, you remove the card from your hand; if you goofed, the player who spotted the goof gives you one of her cards and laughs at you. (Laughing optional.)
You can move a car on the board by grabbing the green light token and placing it in front of yourself. You can either move one car one space to a vacant spot or switch the location of two cars. Once someone else takes the green light (and moves), you can again take the green light.
The first player to empty his hand of cards wins the game. For those who have played before or who have a knack for such games, Trafffic includes expert level target cards that show three cars (one in each color) along with an empty intersection. Prior to starting the game, expert players can swap any number of basic targets for these tough-to-achieve numbers to level the playing field or to allow them to strut even more proudly when they crush the competition once again...