What is required to stop at traffic signals?

The requirement to stop at traffic signals is primarily focused on understanding and responding appropriately to various signals. Stopping for steady red signals and flashing red signals is essential for ensuring the safety of all road users.

A steady red signal indicates that vehicles must come to a complete stop and remain stopped until the signal changes to green, allowing for safe and orderly intersection control. Flashing red signals convey a similar directive as they signify a stop, similar to a stop sign. Drivers must halt completely and can only proceed when it is safe to do so after yielding to any other traffic or pedestrians.

Stopping for yellow signals, while often advisable to prevent accidents as they indicate a change to red, is not mandated in the same way as for red signals. Therefore, while it may be safe and prudent to stop for yellow lights, it is not an absolute requirement like stopping for the red indicators. It is also essential for drivers to consider road conditions and local law when approaching these signals, but the fundamental rule governing red signals is clear: stopping is not optional but a legal obligation.