Certain vehicles required to stop at all grade crossings of railroad; exceptions.
1. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the driver of any motor vehicle carrying passengers for hire, or of any school bus carrying any school child, or of any vehicle carrying any explosive or flammable liquid as a cargo or part of a cargo, before crossing at grade any track or tracks of a railroad, shall stop that vehicle within 50 feet but not less than 15 feet from the nearest rail of the railroad and while so stopped shall listen and look in both directions along the track for any approaching train, and for signals indicating the approach of a train, and shall not proceed until he can do so safely.
2. After stopping as required in this section and upon proceeding when it is safe to do so, the driver of any such vehicle shall cross only in a gear of the vehicle that there will be no necessity for changing gears while traversing the crossing and the driver shall not shift gears while crossing the track or tracks.
3. When stopping is required at a railroad crossing the driver shall keep as far to the right of the highway as possible and shall not form two lanes of traffic unless the highway is marked for four or more lanes of traffic.
4. No such stop need be made at a railroad crossing:
(a) Where a police officer or official traffic-control device controls the movement of traffic.
(b) Which is marked with a device indicating that the crossing is abandoned.
(c) Which is a streetcar crossing or is used exclusively for industrial switching purposes within an area designated as a business district.
(d) Which is marked with a sign identifying it as an exempt crossing. Signs identifying a crossing as exempt may be erected only:
(1) If the tracks are an industrial or spur line;
(2) By or with the consent of the appropriate state or local authority which has jurisdiction over the road; and
(3) After the State or the local authority has held a public hearing to determine whether the crossing should be designated an exempt crossing.
Last modified: February 25, 2006