Orange signs and cones mark the start of a work zone, where crews and heavy machines may be on or beside the road. Reduce your speed, pay close attention, and watch for lane shifts and sudden stops.
This orange diamond with a figure holding a shovel warns that road workers are present on or near the travel lanes. Slow down, watch for people and equipment, and give the crew as much room as you safely can.
A crossing without lights or gates gives no automatic warning of a train, so slow down, look both ways, listen, and be ready to stop. A car need not stop every time unless a train is coming or a STOP sign is posted, and speeding up to get across is never safe.
Crossing is forbidden whenever an oncoming train is close enough, or fast enough, to be a hazard. This applies even at crossings without signals or where the signals have failed, so always look and listen before you reach the tracks.
In a work zone, traffic can slow or stop without warning, and workers or equipment may be right beside your lane. A longer following distance gives you room to react and brake safely, while tailgating or relying on cruise control leaves you less time to respond.
In a work zone, keep your eyes on the lanes, signs and flaggers in front of you. Easing off the gas to gawk at crews or machinery, known as rubbernecking, pulls your attention from driving and is a frequent cause of rear-end crashes.
When a train has just gone by on one track, another may be coming on a different track, hidden from view. Hold your position until the view along every track is clear; even at a single-track crossing, check again before you go.
Most work-zone collisions happen because drivers are not paying attention or are going too fast for the conditions. Slow down, watch for workers and equipment, and obey the posted work-zone speed limit.
A tank truck with hazardous materials placards has to stop fully before going over any railroad tracks, whether or not a train is in sight. Do not try to pass a vehicle stopped at a crossing, and leave it enough space to get across the rails.
At a crossing with no lights or gates, only your own eyes and ears can tell you a train is near, so look and listen both ways and cross only when you are sure the tracks are clear. If a train has just gone by, another one may be hidden behind it or coming on a second track.
An orange diamond showing a person holding a flag warns that a flagger is working ahead to direct traffic through the work zone. Slow down, be prepared to come to a stop, and obey the flagger's directions.
Work zone laws exist to protect the crews on the road, so a violation there costs more than usual. Fines are commonly doubled, and extra points or even jail time can follow for speeding or reckless driving.
Never start across railroad tracks unless your whole vehicle can clear them, with space waiting on the far side. If traffic is backed up, wait before the crossing until there is room, so you never end up stopped on the tracks.
A moving crossing gate, like flashing red lights or a ringing bell, warns that a train is coming, so you must stop and wait. Driving around or under the gate is never allowed; stop at least 15 feet from the nearest rail and stay there until the gate is fully raised and the lights stop flashing.
In a work zone, a flagger's directions take priority over the usual signs, signals, and pavement markings, because the flagger is guiding traffic around workers and equipment as conditions change. Obey the flagger whether or not you see cones.
A round yellow sign with a black X and two R letters gives advance warning of a railroad crossing. Reduce your speed, look and listen for trains in both directions, and be ready to stop.
Every school bus, whether loaded or empty, has to stop before railroad tracks, as do other buses carrying passengers and trucks hauling explosives or flammable cargo. When you follow one of them, be prepared for it to stop at the crossing.
Every question in this set has its own page with the correct answer and an explanation.
