What action should you take when approaching a stop sign?

When approaching a stop sign, the appropriate action is to come to a complete stop before proceeding. This is a critical traffic rule designed to ensure safety at intersections where vehicles or pedestrians may be crossing. Coming to a full stop allows you to assess the situation around you—checking for oncoming traffic, pedestrians, and any other potential hazards—before you continue driving.

The requirement to stop means that you must bring your vehicle to a halt, allowing enough time to ensure that it is safe to proceed. This practice helps prevent collisions and promotes safer driving behavior, as all vehicles are expected to yield the right-of-way according to traffic laws.

In contrast, other actions such as slowing down and proceeding if clear do not comply with traffic regulations regarding stop signs. This could lead to dangerous situations if another vehicle or a pedestrian unexpectedly enters the intersection. Similarly, yielding to left turns only does not address the need for a full stop and could also lead to miscommunication among drivers. Continuing at the same speed is clearly unsafe and against the law at a stop sign, as it disregards the requirement to stop adequately.