When approaching a stop sign, you should...

When approaching a stop sign, it is essential to slow down and look for any vehicles or pedestrians to ensure safety. This action allows you to assess the situation at the intersection and make informed decisions. By slowing down, you can adequately observe the environment, checking for any potential hazards such as other vehicles that may not have stopped or pedestrians who may be crossing the road.

This practice is vital for defensive driving, where being aware of your surroundings helps prevent accidents and promotes a safer driving environment for everyone. Recognizing that you must yield the right of way at a stop sign is crucial, as failure to do so could result in collisions or jeopardize the safety of others on the road.

In contrast to the correct approach, other choices would compromise safety. Speeding up to pass through quickly disregards the purpose of a stop sign, which is to ensure that drivers come to a complete stop and assess the intersection. Ignoring signs if no one is around undermines the rules of the road designed to maintain order and safety at intersections. Lastly, pausing only when signaled puts too much reliance on the actions of others and fails to take personal responsibility for assessing the road conditions. Thus, the correct answer emphasizes the critical practice of slowing down and actively looking