Crossing, Then a Post-Crash Scene
At 22:30 you approach a railroad-highway grade crossing in a 45-mph zone. The crossing has flashing red lights and a gate, but the gate is up and the lights are not flashing. Your bus carries 28 passengers. The crossing is on a slight upgrade, and you can see about 900 feet down the track to the left; vegetation limits the view to the right to about 300 feet. After you clear the crossing, a pickup truck runs the stop sign at the next intersection and strikes your right rear quarter, disabling the bus and injuring two passengers.
1. What are your obligations at the crossing before you proceed, given the sight distance?
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A passenger-carrying vehicle must stop at a railroad-highway grade crossing unless the crossing is exempt or the vehicle is on a controlled-access highway where crossings are separated - and the stop is made with the door open and the driver listening, where required by the operation. Even with the gate up and lights off, you must not proceed until you have positively determined no train is approaching. The 300-foot view to the right is the controlling constraint: at 45 mph a train covers that distance in seconds, so you cannot rely on a glance. Bring the bus to a full stop short of the tracks, open the door, look and listen in both directions, and only proceed when both directions are clear and you can clear the crossing completely without stopping on the tracks. If the view is blocked, do not commit.
2. Immediately after the collision, what is your sequence?
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Stop, set the parking brake, and secure the vehicle. Check yourself and then the passengers, starting with the two reported injured. Call 911, give the location, the number of passengers, and the injuries. Turn on hazard lights and, if safe and you have help, place warning devices to protect the scene from the traffic side. Do not move seriously injured passengers unless there is fire or another immediate danger. Account for all 28 passengers by headcount and keep the uninjured group together, away from traffic. Do not discuss fault with the other driver, and do not admit or assign liability.
3. What reporting and inspection obligations follow, and what records must you preserve?
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You must notify your employer immediately, and complete the required crash report and any written reports the carrier requires. Preserve the driver's record of duty status, the vehicle inspection reports, the passenger count, and any photos or witness information. Because the bus is disabled, note the defect and the tow. If a roadside inspection follows, present your CDL with the passenger endorsement, the medical certificate, and the vehicle documents, and cooperate. Post-crash, the carrier's drug and alcohol testing requirements may apply, and you should not leave the scene until released by the investigating officer.