Lighthouse

Ever wondered why some light signals on cars flash and others don't ?  Flashing draws attention, like a lighthouse.  It fools the brain to think something's moving (which could be a threat).

But a sailor doesn't make a decision on how close to get to the coast based on the lighthouse.  Once its flashing light's drawn their attention, they actively look for more important features.  Like spotting hidden rocks, or how the waves change near the shore.  It's the same on hearing a fire-alarm: is there smoke, where's a burning smell coming from, can you feel heat, ...?

React the same when driving: look for more clues before deciding how to act.

Scrutinise the "flashing car" for other signs of what it's up to: its position, speed, wheels; "Hands, Face, Space", in fact.  It's nothing new.