What should a driver do if traffic signals are dark?

When traffic signals are dark, it indicates that they are not functioning, often due to a power outage or malfunction. In such situations, the proper action for a driver is to treat the intersection as an all-way stop. This means that all vehicles approaching the intersection must come to a complete stop and yield the right-of-way according to traffic rules.

By treating the intersection as an all-way stop, drivers can ensure that they are aware of other vehicles, allowing for safe and orderly movement through the intersection. This approach helps to prevent accidents that could occur if vehicles were to proceed through the intersection without stopping.

In contrast, proceeding through without stopping would disregard the need for caution when signals are not operational, and simply yielding to all nearby vehicles may not adequately consider the right-of-way rules in the absence of signals. Sounding the horn and going could lead to confusion and potential collisions. Thus, treating the intersection as an all-way stop is the correct and safest response when traffic signals are dark.