What is the correct response to a flashing red light?

What is the correct response to a flashing red light?

• A. Slow to a crawl and proceed with caution
• B. Treat it like a yield sign and proceed
• C. Ignore it if there is no other traffic
• D. Treat it like a stop sign and proceed when the way is clear.

Answer: (D)

A flashing red light requires a full stop and then proceeding when it’s safe, just like a STOP sign. You should come to a complete halt at the stop line or before entering the intersection, look for cross traffic and pedestrians, and yield as needed. Only after the way is clear may you proceed. This is why the correct choice is to treat it like a stop sign and proceed when the way is clear. The other options would either encourage not stopping enough, treating the signal as a yield, or ignoring it when there’s no traffic, all of which are unsafe and illegal.

A flashing red light requires a full stop and then proceeding when it’s safe, just like a STOP sign. You should come to a complete halt at the stop line or before entering the intersection, look for cross traffic and pedestrians, and yield as needed. Only after the way is clear may you proceed. This is why the correct choice is to treat it like a stop sign and proceed when the way is clear. The other options would either encourage not stopping enough, treating the signal as a yield, or ignoring it when there’s no traffic, all of which are unsafe and illegal.