Final answer:
The answer to whether you must always stop your vehicle at flashing red signals is True, as stopping at these signals is a legal requirement to ensure intersection safety and to regulate traffic flow. Extreme emergency situations may provide moral grounds for cautious deviation, but are not exempt from legal consequences.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question revolves around the legality and obligatory nature of stopping at a flashing red traffic signal. The general rule prescribed by traffic laws is that you must always stop your vehicle at a flashing red light. This action is mandatory to ensure safety at intersections, particularly where the potential for cross-traffic or pedestrian crossing exists. Moreover, stopping at a red signal aids in managing traffic densities and imposes a control mechanism on drivers who might otherwise speed through without regard to posted speed limits.
While the general rule is to always stop, there are extreme circumstances where deviations from the law can be considered based on moral or utilitarian grounds, such as the scenario given with a pregnant woman in labor in the vehicle. In such exceptional emergency situations, the Rule Utilitarianism (RU) approach might argue that the greater good is served by proceeding—cautiously—through the red light to reach the hospital more quickly, especially when no other cars are present and safety risks are minimized.
However, it is crucial to note that such decisions should never be taken lightly and are subject to legal repercussions. Generally, the proper course of action in emergencies is to contact emergency services for an escort or follow legal provisions for handling such situations. To reiterate, under ordinary conditions and in the absence of an extreme emergency, the answer to the statement is True: at flashing red signals, you must always stop your vehicle.