Continuing Basics

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@jfournerat1274 7 ай бұрын

Another type of potential intersection that you may encounter is railroad crossings. While they may or may not be considered intersections you should treat railroad crossings as you should with intersections. Every year countless people die in vehicle train collisions at railroad crossings and most of these incidents were preventable. Here are the safety procedures for railroad crossings. Know the signs. Railroad crossings usually have a round yellow sign with the words rr on it a good distance away from the crossing. That sign which is often called an advanced warning sign warns drivers that they are approaching a railroad crossing and that they should slow down and be prepared to stop. There are also pavement markings on the road which also serve as a warning. Directly In front of the crossing there will usually be a stop line which is where you should stop. Signs at the railroad crossing itself. Almost all railroad crossings wether they have active warning devices or not have a crossbuck that has the words railroad crossing on it. For most vehicles The crossbuck means yield though for school buses, other buses, and vehicles carrying hazardous materials it means stop. Some railroad crossings don’t have active warning devices but instead have a crossbuck and they are called passive railroad crossings. There may also be a sign under the crossbuck telling you the number of tracks you will be crossing over. The sign is often called a multiple track sign and it means that there is more than one track meaning that there could be more than one train. Many railroad crossings have active warning devices such as lights, bells, and gates and they are called active railroad crossings. When the lights flash, and the gates start coming down or are down it is warning you that a train is approaching and that you need to stop and wait until the lights stop flashing and the gates go all the way up. Some railroad crossings also have stop or yield signs next to the crossbuck. In this case treat it as if it was a ordinary intersection and stop or yield. Railroad crossing Safety tips. When approaching a crossing slow down so that way you will be able to stop if needed. Turn off any loud noise in the vehicle such as from the radio, air conditioning, or passengers. Do this by turning off the radio and air conditioning and by asking the passengers to remain quiet. That way you will be able to see or hear an approaching train. Stop 15 to 50 feet from the crossing. Roll down the windows. Once you have stopped look both ways in both directions for any approaching trains. If it is clear then you may proceed across the tracks. If however you see a train approaching then do not proceed across the tracks until the train has passed and you can clearly see that the tracks are clear. Make sure that you have enough distance on the other side to completely clear the tracks without leaving any part of your vehicle on or near the tracks. Remember Trains have a 3 feet overhang. If it won’t fit don’t commit. Once going across the tracks do not shift gears under any circumstances until you have completely cleared the tracks. That way the vehicle won’t stall. If you are already on the crossing and the lights start flashing and the gates lower keep going don’t get trapped get off the tracks. Never attempt to beat a train under any circumstances. Trains are often much faster and closer than they appear and they can’t stop quickly. A train traveling at 55 miles per hour for example can take a mile or more to stop which is approximately 18 football fields. In short by the time the train sees you it’s too late for them to stop in time meaning that they will probably hit you. Never go around gates that are down or lights that are flashing as they are warning you that a train is coming. Instead wait for the gates to go all the way up and for the lights to stop flashing. Be especially cautious at crossings with more than one track as there is always the potential of there being more than one train. In this case do not cross until the gates go all the way up and the lights stop flashing. If your vehicle stalls on the tracks and a train is coming immediately get out of the vehicle and run towards the direction that the train is coming from at a 45 degree angle. That way you won’t be hit by flying debris when the train hits the vehicle. Always expect a train at any time, on any track, and at any direction. Anytime is train time as trains can come at any time, on any track, and in any direction.