A driver approaching a flashing red traffic signal must:
- Slow down at the light.
- Drive carefully without stopping.
- Merge to the right.
- Stop before entering the intersection. ✓
Answer: D. Stop before entering the intersection.
You must stop before entering the intersection at a flashing red light, then go when it is safe.
Why this is the answer
The handbook says a flashing red light is used at dangerous intersections and should be treated like a stop sign: stop, then proceed when safe. That means a full stop before you enter the intersection, not just easing off the gas. The flashing red does not mean the road is closed or that you must wait for a green; it means stop first and then move on once the way is clear.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. Slow down at the light. — Slowing down is what a flashing yellow light calls for, not a flashing red, which requires a stop.
- B. Drive carefully without stopping. — Driving carefully without stopping skips the stop that a flashing red light demands, since it works like a stop sign.
- C. Merge to the right. — Nothing in the rule about flashing red lights says anything about changing lanes or merging right.
Remember it
Read a flashing red the same way you read a stop sign: stop first, then go when it is clear.