When approaching a railroad crossing warning sign:
- Be ready to drive faster than the train.
- Be prepared to stop if a train is nearby. ✓
- Look for a way around any lowered gates.
- Assume no trains are nearby and continue driving normally.
Answer: B. Be prepared to stop if a train is nearby.
When you approach a railroad crossing warning sign, slow down and be prepared to stop if a train is nearby.
Why this is the answer
The handbook says a Railroad Crossing sign means you are within a few hundred feet of the tracks, so you should slow down and be ready to stop. If you see a train coming, stop and never try to beat it. That supports choosing to be prepared to stop when a train is near, rather than continuing at normal speed or treating the crossing as clear.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. Be ready to drive faster than the train. — Trying to drive faster than the train goes against the handbook's warning never to try to beat a train.
- C. Look for a way around any lowered gates. — Looking for a way around lowered gates is wrong because the handbook says to stop when a crossing gate is lowered.
- D. Assume no trains are nearby and continue driving normally. — Assuming no trains are nearby ignores the sign's message to slow down and be prepared to stop.
Remember it
See the railroad warning sign? Ease off the gas and get ready to brake before the tracks.
Official handbook: Texas Driver Handbook (DL-7), Chapter 5: Signals, Signs, and Markers , p. 32