What is the best practice when approaching a traffic signal that is not functioning?

What is the best practice when approaching a traffic signal that is not functioning?

• A. Drive through as if it is green.
• B. Wait for a police officer to direct you.
• C. Treat it as a four-way stop; proceed with caution and yield to other drivers and pedestrians as applicable.
• D. Proceed without stopping if the road is clear.

Answer: (C)

When a traffic signal isn’t functioning, you can’t rely on it to control who goes first. The safest approach is to treat the intersection as an all-way stop. Stop completely, look for other vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians, then proceed with caution. Yield to the vehicle that arrived first; if you arrive together, the vehicle on the right goes first. Pedestrians in crosswalks always have the right of way. This method keeps the intersection predictable and safe when signals are down. Driving through as if the light were green ignores cross-traffic and pedestrians. Waiting for a police officer applies only if one is actually directing traffic. Proceeding without stopping when the road is clear ignores the right-of-way rules and can lead to a collision.

When a traffic signal isn’t functioning, you can’t rely on it to control who goes first. The safest approach is to treat the intersection as an all-way stop. Stop completely, look for other vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians, then proceed with caution. Yield to the vehicle that arrived first; if you arrive together, the vehicle on the right goes first. Pedestrians in crosswalks always have the right of way. This method keeps the intersection predictable and safe when signals are down.

Driving through as if the light were green ignores cross-traffic and pedestrians. Waiting for a police officer applies only if one is actually directing traffic. Proceeding without stopping when the road is clear ignores the right-of-way rules and can lead to a collision.