What To Do When Traffic Lights Are Malfunctioning in Washington State

How Does A New Driver Navigate A Broken Traffic Light In Washington State?

My niece just got her learner's permit and she's ecstatic! I'm pretty proud of her but I also know that being a new Washington State driver can be a little confusing.

What Do I Do When I Come To A Broken Traffic Light? What's The Law Say In WA

I still can't stand a 4-way stop and try to avoid them when possible. The one traffic situation that can throw many drivers off is a broken traffic light, especially at a busy intersection like 20th Avenue in Pasco.

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So how do you navigate a broken traffic light?

According to the Richland Police Department, you treat it as a four-way stop.

When a traffic light is malfunctioning or completely out, all drivers must treat the intersection as a four-way stop.

This means that you should come to a complete stop and yield the right-of-way to other vehicles based on the order they arrived at the intersection.

Many drivers might assume that since the traffic light is not working, they can accelerate through the intersection.

This is a dangerous assumption.

Be extra cautious and look both ways, even if the other drivers have come to a complete stop. It would help if you watched out for pedestrians, cyclists, and other road users.

As you can see, new drivers in Washington State like my niece will encounter a bevy of traffic situations that could intimidate a newbie but with some helpful information