If a traffic signal light is not working, you must:
- Stop, then proceed when safe. ✓
- Stop before entering the intersection and let all other traffic go first.
- Slow down or stop, only if necessary.
Answer: A. Stop, then proceed when safe.
You must stop, then proceed when it is safe.
Why this is the answer
The California handbook says that when a traffic light is not working, you should treat the intersection as if stop signs control every direction. That means you first come to a stop, then move ahead only after checking that it is safe. You are not required to wait for every other vehicle to clear before you move; you proceed cautiously using the all-way stop idea. This supports stopping and then proceeding when safe.
Why the other answers are wrong
- B. Stop before entering the intersection and let all other traffic go first. — This goes too far because the handbook does not require you to let every other vehicle go first; after stopping, you proceed cautiously when it is safe.
- C. Slow down or stop, only if necessary. — A nonworking signal is not a slow-down-only situation, since the handbook requires you to stop before proceeding.
Remember it
No color means no free pass: come to a full stop before deciding.