What should you do when you encounter a STOP sign at a railway crossing in a commercial vehicle?

When you encounter a STOP sign at a railway crossing with a commercial vehicle, ensuring there is enough space to clear the tracks before crossing is crucial for safety and compliance with traffic regulations. This practice helps prevent becoming stranded on the tracks, which can be extremely dangerous if a train approaches. It’s important to assess the situation before moving forward by checking for a clear path across the tracks to avoid blocking them.

Moreover, at railway crossings, stopping is mandatory so that you can visually check for an approaching train. However, the critical detail is that once you confirm there are no trains in sight, your next action should focus on ensuring your vehicle can fully cross without stopping on the tracks due to insufficient space. By doing this, you contribute not only to your safety but also to maintaining the safe operation of the railway.

In this scenario, mere stopping or proceeding without careful consideration of the space available would not effectively ensure safety. Thus, it is vital to integrate the need to stop with the responsibility to clear the crossing safely.