The signs below indicate a railway crossing ahead. Slow down, check to the right and left along the angle of the track shown in the sign, and proceed only when safe.

The actual crossing is marked by a railway crossing sign.

When approaching railway crossings, check both ways for trains and remember that they always have the right-of-way.

When stopping at a crossing, keep at least five metres away from the nearest rail in a restricted speed area and at least 15 metres away in a non-restricted speed area. A restricted speed area means any area within Winnipeg, an urban municipality, a local urban district under the Municipal Act or any other area, highway or portion of highway designated by regulation.

If you see a train approaching, be prepared to stop. Motorists can seriously misjudge the speed of trains, believing they’re travelling much slower than they actually are or incorrectly assuming that trains must slow down at railway crossings.

Since most railway crossings don’t have electronic signals warning you when to stop, the most important rule to recognize is that trains automatically have the right-of-way at all railway crossings. In other words, at railway crossings, the safety of you and your passengers depends entirely on you, the driver.

Other safety pointers include:

• When there’s more than one set of tracks, don’t start across when the train passes. Make sure there isn’t another train coming on the other track.
• Half of all night rail/highway crossing collisions involve vehicles hitting trains. To avoid that, slow down when you see the advance warning sign so that you can stop in time if you have to.
• Never move onto the track unless you’re sure there’s plenty of room on the other side. If traffic is backed up so that you can’t get across the tracks, stop and wait at least five metres from the crossing, until the traffic jam clears and it’s safe to cross.
• Some vehicles may stop at all crossings. These may include regular buses, school buses and vehicles carrying hazardous materials. If you’re following such a vehicle, be prepared to stop.

It’s illegal to:

• cross a railway crossing when warning signals are on (except as explained below)
• shift gears when crossing railway tracks
• drive a vehicle through, around or under a crossing gate or barrier that is closed or being opened or closed
• drive a vehicle onto a railway crossing unless there’s sufficient space at the other side of the crossing to accommodate your vehicle without obstructing the passage of trains
• park within 30 metres of the nearest rail of a railway crossing unless otherwise posted

Drivers may cross a railway crossing when the warning lights are flashing if:

• the vehicle is brought to a complete stop prior to crossing
• the crossing is not protected by gates or barriers
• the crossing is within a restricted speed area
• the train is stopped or is a safe distance away
• the crossing may be done safely

For railway crossing procedures, drivers of for-hire vehicles, school buses and vehicles capable of transporting flammable liquid or gas should consult the Professional Driver’s Handbook.

If there’s any doubt, stop and wait for the train to cross or for the warning lights to stop flashing.