When can a pilot disregard traffic avoidance while following an ATC clearance?

The principle guiding this scenario is that a pilot always retains the responsibility for safe operation and traffic avoidance, regardless of any ATC clearance. While air traffic controllers provide instructions and clearances to manage traffic and ensure safe operations, it is ultimately the pilot who must maintain situational awareness. Even when cleared by ATC, a pilot cannot ignore the presence of other aircraft, as safety must always take precedence.

The regulations stipulate that pilots must remain vigilant and ready to alter their course or altitude to avoid potential collisions, regardless of any communications with ATC. This ensures that the pilot is active in the decision-making process concerning their flight path and allows for a greater layer of safety in the airspace.

Other considerations regarding reasonableness, such as visual contact or the conditions of flight operations (day or night), do not negate this responsibility. Thus, while various situations might impact a pilot's decision on traffic avoidance maneuvers, the fundamental rule is that a pilot may never disregard traffic avoidance, maintaining the highest standards of flight safety.