When confronted with a traffic signal displaying a red light, what must a driver do?

When confronted with a traffic signal displaying a red light, a driver must come to a complete stop. This rule is fundamental for traffic safety, as it allows the vehicle to halt before entering an intersection, preventing collisions with cross traffic that may have the right of way. A complete stop ensures that the driver can assess the situation and proceed only when it is safe to do so.

Additional context helps clarify this situation. Accelerating through the intersection disregards the red light completely and poses a significant risk, as it can lead to accidents with vehicles that are legally progressing through green lights. Slowing down and proceeding with caution does not adequately respect the traffic signal's directive to stop; there's no allowance for interpreting a red light as a mere suggestion. Yielding to oncoming traffic is also not applicable in this context, as it implies the driver is already in the intersection or unsure if they should stop, which is not the case when a red light is in force.