A recent article in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle caught my attention. The article described what drivers did on July 16, when a tornado and winds from a related thunderstorm knocked out several traffic signals in the Rome, New York area, including on busy Erie Boulevard.

According to Heather Tehan, public information officer in the Mohawk Valley for the state Department of Transportation, people were just driving through intersections without stopping. They were also gawking at the storm damage.

“These drivers didn’t just risk hitting other vehicles,” Tehan said. “They also endangered all the DOT workers who were trying to fix the lights and all the police officers directing traffic.”

I have seen similar occasions locally, when traffic signals went out on W. Main Street (U.S. Route 11) in Malone from storms. I recall specifically the signal at the corner of W. Main Street and Brewster/Academy streets, when nearly every driver on W. Main Street barreled right through as if they had a green light.

When you approach an inoperative traffic signal, all drivers must treat the intersection as an ALL-WAY STOP. It doesn’t matter if one street is a busier street than the other — all traffic must stop. This is the requirement of section 1117 of Vehicle and Traffic Law. If convicted of violating this law, the fine for a first offense is up to $150 plus applicable surcharges and could include up to 15 days in jail. Violators will also receive three points against their license.

In case you have forgotten what happens in this situation, the solution is simple: After stopping, drivers may proceed through the intersection in the order in which they stopped. If it’s not clear who arrived first, or if two vehicles arrive simultaneously, drivers should yield to the driver on the right. If it’s a busy intersection, drivers need to use common sense, making eye contact with other drivers and possibly waving the other driver to proceed if it is safe to do so.

Because inoperable traffic signals happen infrequently, we seldom encounter this situation. Thus, it is good to review the rules from time to time.