At a railroad crossing with active warning devices, which action is required?

At a railroad crossing with active warning devices, which action is required?

• A. Proceed slowly through the crossing even if warning devices are active.
• B. Stop if required by lights or gates; wait until signals indicate it's safe to cross; and never stop on the tracks.
• C. Stop in the crossing until a road worker signals to proceed.
• D. Turn around and take an alternate route.

Answer: (B)

Active warning devices at a railroad crossing require you to stop and wait until it’s safe to cross. When the lights are flashing or the gates are down, you must stop before the crossing and not proceed until the signals indicate it’s safe. Trains can’t stop quickly, and the crossing is closed for a reason, so continuing through while the devices are active is dangerous. If you’re already on the crossing when the signals come on, move off the tracks if you can do so safely and await clearance to cross. This is why the correct approach is to stop if the signals require it, wait for the signals to indicate safety, and never stop on the tracks. The other choices imagine taking a chance or relying on a crossing worker, which isn’t how active warning devices are designed to be used.

Active warning devices at a railroad crossing require you to stop and wait until it’s safe to cross. When the lights are flashing or the gates are down, you must stop before the crossing and not proceed until the signals indicate it’s safe. Trains can’t stop quickly, and the crossing is closed for a reason, so continuing through while the devices are active is dangerous. If you’re already on the crossing when the signals come on, move off the tracks if you can do so safely and await clearance to cross.

This is why the correct approach is to stop if the signals require it, wait for the signals to indicate safety, and never stop on the tracks. The other choices imagine taking a chance or relying on a crossing worker, which isn’t how active warning devices are designed to be used.