46.2-886 - When drivers of certain vehicles to stop, look, and listen at railroad crossings; crossing tracks without shifting gears.
§ 46.2-886. When drivers of certain vehicles to stop, look, and listen atrailroad crossings; crossing tracks without shifting gears.
Except in cities or towns, the driver of any motor vehicle carryingpassengers for hire, or of any vehicle carrying explosive substances orflammable liquids as a cargo or part of a cargo, before crossing at grade anyrailroad track, shall stop such vehicle within fifty feet but not less thanfifteen feet from the nearest rail of such railroad and while stopped shalllisten and look in both directions along the track for any approaching train,and for signals indicating the approach of a train, except as hereinafterprovided in this section, and shall not proceed until he can do so safely.After stopping and upon proceeding when it is safe to do so, the driver ofany vehicle shall cross only in such gear of the vehicle that there will beno necessity for changing gears while traversing the crossing.
Before crossing any railroad tracks at grade, the driver of any school busshall stop the school bus within fifty feet but not less than fifteen feetfrom the nearest rail of such railroad and while stopped shall listen andlook in both directions along the track for any approaching train, except ashereinafter provided in this section, and shall not proceed until he can doso safely. After stopping and upon proceeding when it is safe to do so, thedriver of any school bus shall cross only in such gear of the vehicle thatthere will be no necessity for changing gears while traversing the crossing.
Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, no stop need bemade at any such crossing where a law-enforcement officer or atraffic-control signal directs traffic to proceed.
(Code 1950, § 46-254.1; 1956, c. 164; 1958, c. 541, § 46.1-245; 1989, c. 727.)