What is the appropriate action when encountering a stop sign without a stop line?

When you encounter a stop sign without a stop line, the appropriate action is to stop at the edge of the intersection. This practice is crucial to ensure safety and compliance with traffic regulations. Stopping at the edge of the intersection allows you to assess the situation clearly, ensuring that you can view any oncoming traffic and make safe decisions before proceeding.

Stopping at the edge of the intersection also helps prevent accidents with pedestrians and other vehicles that may be crossing or approaching the intersection. It establishes a clear point where you yield to any existing traffic, maintaining a flow of safe transitions through the intersection.

The other choices, while related to stopping points, do not ensure the same level of safety or compliance with traffic rules. Stopping at the edge of the sidewalk could potentially put you in conflict with pedestrians. Likewise, stopping at a crosswalk is not ideal, as it creates a risk for pedestrians who may be using the crosswalk and does not fulfill the stop sign requirement effectively. Proceeding if the road is clear is not appropriate, as it disregards the requirement to stop fully at a stop sign.