What is the primary purpose of traffic signals?

The primary purpose of traffic signals is to regulate the flow of traffic and enhance safety. Traffic signals play a crucial role in managing the interactions between vehicles and pedestrians, ensuring that they move efficiently and safely through intersections. By providing clear guidance on when to stop, go, or yield, they help prevent accidents and reduce confusion among road users. Proper adherence to traffic signals helps maintain order on the road, encouraging predictable behaviors that contribute to overall roadway safety.

The other options misrepresent the purpose of traffic signals. The idea that they confuse drivers and pedestrians ignores their design and function, which is focused on clarity and safety. Granting authority to specific vehicles is not the primary function of traffic signals; such authority is typically established through laws or regulations rather than signal operation. Lastly, traffic signals do not increase the speed limit; they are designed to control traffic flow, sometimes requiring vehicles to stop to ensure safer transitions through intersections.