When approaching a traffic control system that is not working, what should you do?

When encountering a traffic control system that is not functioning properly, the best course of action is to always stop. This is essential for ensuring safety at intersections where signals or signs are absent or malfunctioning, as it allows for a clear assessment of the situation. Stopping helps prevent accidents by allowing drivers to evaluate the flow of traffic from all directions.

In many traffic situations, particularly in the absence of clear signals, drivers must treat the intersection as an all-way stop, yielding to other vehicles and pedestrians as necessary. This approach not only complies with traffic regulations but is also critical for avoiding collisions and ensuring that every driver is making safe decisions based on the same understanding of the intersection's rules.

While proceeding with caution, slowing down to look for traffic, or blowing the horn might seem reasonable reactions, they do not provide the same level of proactive safety as coming to a complete stop does. Therefore, stopping is the safest and most responsible action when dealing with non-operational traffic control systems.