Should You Stop and Wait When Encountering Two Alternating Flashing Red Lights at a Railway Crossing?
2 Answers
When encountering two alternating flashing red lights at a railway crossing, you must stop and wait. At an unattended railway crossing, two alternating flashing red lights indicate that a train is approaching. Below is relevant information: Railway Crossing: A railway crossing refers to a level intersection between a road and a railway, categorized into attended and unattended crossings. At level crossings between railways and roads, crossing signals, warning signs, or safety barriers should be installed. Unattended railway crossings must have warning signs placed at a certain distance from the crossing. Safety Issues: In the early days, railway crossings were attended, and when a train was approaching, the attendant would wave a red flag or red light to signal all vehicles and pedestrians to stop and clear the tracks. Later, manual or electronic barriers were introduced to block the road. Barriers are used to prevent any vehicles or pedestrians from entering the railway. In the early days of railways, many vehicles were animal-drawn, making it necessary to establish actual barriers. Nowadays, except for railway crossings with high vehicle and pedestrian traffic, most crossings operate automatically without attendants.
As someone with years of driving experience, I firmly believe that when those two red lights at a railroad crossing flash alternately, you absolutely must stop and wait. This signal means a train is approaching soon or the crossing is closing, and trying to rush through is extremely risky. Legally, traffic regulations clearly state that you must stop in this situation until the lights stop flashing or turn green. I once witnessed someone recklessly forcing their way through and nearly getting hit by a train—it still gives me chills thinking about it. For safety, I always patiently stop behind the stop line and wait until it's completely safe to proceed. Those few seconds aren't worth risking your life. Always pay attention to railroad crossing signs while driving—developing good habits is more important than anything.
