Railroad Crossings and Emergency Vehicles
Railroad Crossings
A crossbuck sign means yield to trains. Flashing red lights and lowered gates mean stop-never drive around a lowered gate or attempt to beat a train. Trains cannot stop quickly and always have the right of way. Stop no closer than 15 feet and no farther than 50 feet from the nearest rail, look both ways, and listen. Do not stop on the tracks; wait until you can fully clear the crossing. If your vehicle stalls on the tracks, get everyone out and move away from the tracks-run toward the direction the train is coming from at an angle, not straight down the track.
Emergency Vehicles
When an emergency vehicle approaches with lights and sirens, pull to the right edge of the road and stop until it passes. If you are in an intersection, clear it first, then pull over. Do not follow an emergency vehicle closely (typically stay at least 500 feet back). Do not park within 500 feet of a fire station driveway or within a specified distance of an emergency scene.
Move Over Law
When approaching a stopped emergency vehicle, tow truck, or utility vehicle with flashing lights on the roadside, move over a lane if safe; if you cannot, slow down and proceed with caution.
Traps: questions about driving around a lowered gate (never); questions about where to stop at a crossing (15–50 feet); and move-over questions where the answer is "slow down" when changing lanes is not possible. Rule of thumb: at any crossing, Stop, Look, Listen, and only cross when you can clear the tracks completely.