What to do at level crossings
When you are learning to drive you may well not come across a level crossing, depending where you live. But as a driver you certainly will come across level crossings and will need to know how to proceed safely when you encounter one.
There are various methods in which level crossings are controlled. Often there will be gates or barriers there and a lot of them have lights, but there are some where you must make the decision yourself to cross or stop.
Often a warning sign with a train will be displayed in advance and that tells you the level crossing you are approaching does not have a barrier or gate. There will also be a sign telling you there are lights, if there are lights.
When you see the lights for the crossing, look to see if they are on. If the lights are off, this tells you that there is no train coming, but before crossing still check just in case the lights are broken.
You will notice there are two red lights at the top and an amber one underneath. A steady amber light means you should stop unless it is unsafe to do so - just light on a normal traffic light.
Flashing red lights indicate that it is not safe to cross as the train is coming and therefore you must stop. Note that if a train passes you but the lights stay flashing, don't get impatient - there must be another train coming. Often on a line, for whatever reason, trains going in different directions may arrive at roughly the same time followed by a large gap, so you should just be patient and wait.
Related Articles...
Using head restraints
Your car will have head restraints in it, but do you take the time to adjust these before using the vehicle and ensuring they are set at the correct level for you? Head restraints in vehicles are...
What are driving offences
Driving offences are what happens when you do not meet your obligations as a road user.
This could be something like not having the correct documentation that you require or something much...
Why new drivers are more likely to be involved in an accident
It is a well known statistic that new drivers are more likely to be involved in accidents, and indeed insurance companies definitely know this as you'll see by comparing premiums as a new driver...
Your car and the lights on it
We are all used to seeing cars in the dark, and also seeing their indicators in the day to communicate to other car drivers. But what must you ensure with regard to the lighting of your...
Car Driving Theory Topics
When studying for the car theory test it is important to understand the types of topics that will be covered.
The theory test is there to satisfy European Community regulations and so the...
The Advanced Driving Test
There are advantages to continuing to study driving by means of a course like the advanced driving test, because it will help to give you the chance to develop your skills even further than you had...
Thinking about a greener car
It is interesting to note that a signficant amount of the greenhouse gas emissions of the entire country comes from simply car travel: noticeably over 10% does.
Therefore if you have a type of...
How to learn UK road signs
Learning UK road signs is something that will unfortunately require you to
take the time to study them all. Many signs turn up in the theory test so
you do need to take the time to do this. But...
Cost of a driving theory test
If you are learning to drive a car in the UK, then there is not just the practical test to think about.
You must also pass a theory test in order to be able to take the driving practical test...
What causes accidents: tailgating
Driving too close to a vehicle is dangerous for the very simple reason that you have too little time to react should something unexpected happen. And when you consider how many road journeys there...
Back to home page of driving theory test questions
