What Vehicles Must Stop At All Railroad Crossings?

If you’ve driven behind a school bus, you’ve probably seen the bus stopping at a railroad crossing even though no train was coming. Why did the bus driver do that?

If you're a frequent driver, you've probably heard plenty of stories about the dangers of cars and trains colliding.

We need not state what happens after the collision. But several regulations have been enforced to reduce collisions and casualties at railway crossings.

Why Should Vehicles Stop?

There are several reasons why vehicles should stop at railroad crossings. The most obvious reason is to allow trains to pass.

You're sharing the road with a train when you drive through a railroad crossing. A train is much larger than your car and can't stop as quickly. Even if you do everything right and stay out of the train's way, sometimes an accident is unavoidable due to human error or mechanical failure.

It's vital for both your safety and the safety of others that you begin driving once it's clear that no trains are approaching on either track. Otherwise, there's a chance that someone could get hurt.

What Vehicles Must Stop At Railway Crossings?

Even though all cars are recommended to stop at railway crossings, certain types of vehicles are required to do so by law.

School Buses

A school bus must stop if the driver sees a red light or hears an audible bell at all railroad crossings, regardless of whether crossbucks mark the crossing or not.

The driver may proceed through this type of crossing if there is no conflicting traffic in sight and if they can do so safely after waiting for 5-10 seconds.

Commercial Motor Vehicles Transporting Passengers

The driver must stop at all railroad crossings if a commercial motor vehicle is transporting passengers. If there are no crossbucks and you cannot see any oncoming trains or rail traffic in either direction for at least five seconds, proceed with caution.

Vehicles Carrying Flammable Materials

This point doesn't require further explanation. We all know how dangerous and fatal it is when vehicles carrying flammable materials are involved in accidents. These include gasoline and propane tanks.

As the driver, you must stop until the crossing is clear and you're sure it's safe to proceed. Do not drive through the crossing if the lights are flashing or the gate is down.

Penalties If You Refuse To Stop

If a vehicle driver ignores the warning signs and fails to stop at the crossing, they could be subject to criminal charges. The maximum penalty for this charge is three years in prison, a $5000 fine, or both.

And suppose you're not fortunate and you're involved in an accident as a result of not stopping at the railway crossing. In that case, you may be subject to additional charges, including reckless driving and failure to obey traffic signals.

A crossing guard’s job is to ensure that vehicles stop and wait for the flashing lights or lowered gates. If a driver fails to stop at the crossing, they’ll contact the police immediately. They will also take down as much information as possible, including the vehicle's license plate number, the make and model of the car, the color, and the driver's description.

Summary

The bottom line is that vehicles with passengers or flammable materials, as well as school buses must stop at all railroad crossings. If any of them don’t, the driver could face a penalty of up to $1,000 and a few months in jail. So, if you operate such a vehicle, stop when you see flashing lights and crossing signs. It will keep everyone safe.

In Jane's case, the bus driver did the right thing by stopping. Every driver should put safety first and stop whenever they get to the railway crossing.

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