You are coming to a railroad crossing where the crossing signals are flashing. You should:
- Stop and look for a train. ✓
- Slow down and look for a train.
- Look for a train, then speed up.
- Do what the vehicle ahead of you does.
Answer: A. Stop and look for a train.
When the crossing signals are flashing, stop and look for a train.
Why this is the answer
The Texas handbook treats flashing red lights at a railroad crossing as a signal to stop, not just to slow down. It says that if red lights are flashing, you stop; if a train is approaching, you stay stopped until the train passes and the lights stop flashing. Another section adds that you should stop between 15 and 50 feet from the nearest rail when a visible railroad signal warns of an approaching train. Looking both ways before you proceed is also part of crossing safely.
Why the other answers are wrong
- B. Slow down and look for a train. — Slowing down is not enough when the lights are flashing; the handbook says to stop.
- C. Look for a train, then speed up. — Looking for a train and then speeding up ignores the requirement to stop at flashing signals and wait until it is safe and the lights stop.
- D. Do what the vehicle ahead of you does. — Following the vehicle ahead is not the rule; each driver must stop for the flashing signals and make sure the tracks are clear.
Remember it
Flashing red at the tracks means stop, not creep; treat it like a red light that guards a train.
Official handbook: Texas Driver Handbook (DL-7), Chapter 4: Right-of-Way , p. 22