Driver's License Test Prep
California Practice Road Signs

A truck displaying a diamond-shaped hazardous load placard approaches railroad tracks. What must the driver do?

  1. A.
    Stop before crossing the tracks. Correct
  2. B.
    Slow down and roll across without stopping.
  3. C.
    Cross only if the crossing gates are up and lights are off.
The Why

The answer is "Stop before crossing the tracks."

The manual requires vehicles displaying a hazardous-load placard to stop before crossing railroad tracks. Choice B describes what most private vehicles do at a passive crossing, and drivers assume the same casual roll covers a placarded truck instead of the singled-out full stop.

Why the others miss

The traps in the wrong answers

B. Slow down and roll across without stopping.

The manual singles out placarded trucks for a required stop, not a slow roll across the tracks. This answer applies the passive-crossing habit used by ordinary cars to a truck the manual holds to a stricter rule.

C. Cross only if the crossing gates are up and lights are off.

The stop is required for placarded trucks regardless of gate position or signal status. This answer reads the placard rule as identical to the ordinary rule for approaching an active crossing.

The Rule

This question tests your knowledge of Road Signs in California. Source: California Driver Manual, "Vehicles with Hazardous Loads," p.49..

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