When approaching a flashing red traffic light, drivers should:
- Drive through the intersection if there is no crossing traffic.
- Continue driving, as they have the right-of-way.
- Stop if a police officer is nearby.
- Treat the light like a stop sign. ✓
Answer: D. Treat the light like a stop sign.
A flashing red light means the same as a stop sign: come to a full stop, yield the right-of-way, and go only when it is safe.
Why this is the answer
The manual lists flashing red under traffic signals and says plainly that it means the same as a STOP sign — you stop, yield the right-of-way, and proceed when it is safe. So the light is not a free pass and it does not give you priority over other traffic; you handle it the way you handle any stop sign, checking that the way is clear before you move. The manual also notes that when signals are out of service or not working correctly, you stop as you would for a stop sign and then follow right-of-way rules.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. Drive through the intersection if there is no crossing traffic. — Rolling through just because no traffic is crossing skips the required stop and the yielding step the manual describes for a flashing red light.
- B. Continue driving, as they have the right-of-way. — A flashing red light does not hand you the right-of-way; the manual says you stop and yield it to others.
- C. Stop if a police officer is nearby. — The stop is required by the signal itself, not because an officer happens to be standing nearby.
Remember it
Flashing red behaves like the red octagon you already know: full stop first, then go when the way is clear.