Railroad and School Zone Signs and Signals
Railroad and School Zone Signs and Signals
Railroad and school-zone signs protect the most vulnerable road users and the heaviest vehicles. The Mississippi exam tests crossbucks, advance railroad warnings, flashing lights and gates, school-zone signs, school speed limits, and school bus stop rules.
Core rules
- Advance warning: A yellow circular sign with an RXR symbol warns of a railroad crossing ahead. Slow down and look both ways.
- Crossbuck: A white X-shaped crossbuck marks the crossing and means yield to trains. It is not a stop sign unless a stop sign is also posted.
- Signals and gates: Flashing red lights mean stop. A lowered gate means stop and stay stopped. Never go around a gate or stop on the tracks.
- School zones: Fluorescent yellow-green pentagon signs mark school areas. Obey the posted school speed limit when flashing, and watch for children near the roadway.
- School buses: When a school bus stops with red lights flashing on an undivided road, traffic in both directions must stop. On a divided highway, traffic behind the bus must stop; oncoming traffic may proceed unless separated by a median.
Worked example
A school bus stops ahead with its red lights flashing and stop arm out. You are behind it on a two-lane road. You must stop and remain stopped until the lights stop flashing and the arm retracts, even if no children are visible. Passing would violate the school bus stop law.
Traps
Do not treat a crossbuck as a full stop if no train is coming and no stop sign is posted; yield, but do not stop unnecessarily on the tracks. Do not pass a bus with red lights flashing. Do not assume the school speed limit ends at the sign; it ends at the end-school-zone sign.