Nebraska · Handbook chapter 8 · 5 min read

Chapter 8: Passing, turning, parking and railroad crossings

When passing is illegal in Nebraska, how to pass and be passed, signaling and lane changes, turns, emergency stops, where you may not park, parking on hills, handicapped parking, and how to cross railroad tracks safely.

Why this chapter matters

Passing, turning and parking mistakes cause many crashes and tickets. Railroad crossings are deadly when misjudged: a freight train can need more than a mile and a half to stop.

When passing is illegal

It is unlawful to:

• pass in a marked no-passing zone
• exceed the speed limit while passing
• pass a school bus with flashing red lights and its stop arm out
• pass within 100 feet of an intersection or railroad crossing
• pass on a hill, curve or bridge where your view is blocked

How to pass

1. Decide whether you really need to pass.
2. Stay at least three seconds behind the vehicle ahead.
3. Signal and check all around you.
4. Speed up and move into the passing lane.
5. Signal and return when you can see the front of the passed vehicle, or its headlights, in your rearview mirror.
6. Resume your speed.

Being passed: stay in your lane and keep your speed. Only in an emergency should you speed up, slow down or leave the road to avoid a crash.

Passing parked cars: watch for exhaust, brake lights, turn signals or back-up lights, wheels turned out, someone in the driver's seat, and people or animals coming out between cars.

Signals and lane changes

Signal whenever you change lanes, pull into or out of a parking space, or enter traffic from a parking area or alley, and at least 100 feet before turning or moving left or right.

To change lanes: signal, check your mirrors, look over your shoulder at the blind spot, watch for others moving into the same lane, then move. Do not change lanes in an intersection.

Turns

Plan ahead, get in the proper lane early, signal, slow down and check your path.

• Make a right turn as close as practical to the right edge.
• Where no center lane is marked, turn left from the leftmost lawful lane into the leftmost lawful lane.
• At double turning lanes, the lane nearest the curb turns into the lane nearest the curb, and the second lane follows the lane lines into the next lane.

Emergency roadside stop

Signal and pull as far off the road as you can, onto the shoulder. Park within 12 inches of and parallel to the curb or edge, on the right side unless the street is one-way. Put the car in park, set the parking brake, turn on your flashers, turn off the engine, take the keys and check traffic before getting out.

Where you may not park or stop

• beside a vehicle stopped or parked at the curb (double parking)
• on a sidewalk, in an intersection or on a crosswalk
• within 30 feet of a flashing signal, STOP sign, YIELD sign or other traffic control device at the roadside
• within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection
• on a bridge, in a highway tunnel, or within 50 feet of railroad tracks
• in front of a driveway, whether public or private
• within 15 feet of a fire hydrant
• anywhere signs forbid it

Parking on hills

Uphill with a curb: turn the front wheels away from the curb and set the parking brake. In every other case, turn them toward the curb or edge of the road.

Handicapped parking

Handicapped stalls are reserved, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for vehicles showing a handicapped plate or permit for the person getting in or out. The striped access aisle beside a stall is no-parking too. Fines are up to $150, $300 and $500 for first, second and third offenses, and blocking a curb cut or wheelchair ramp can also get you a ticket.

Railroad crossings

Crossings may have a round advance warning sign, a crossbuck, a large white X with RR on the pavement, a no-passing zone and a stop line.

Approaching: drive at a steady speed, fast enough to coast across if your engine stalls and slow enough to stop if needed. Expect a train on any track at any time.

Stop when a signal shows a train or on-track equipment is coming, when a gate is down, when a flagger signals, when a train is plainly visible or its whistle is heard and crossing would be dangerous, or at a STOP sign. Stop at the stop line, or if there is none, between 15 and 50 feet from the nearest rail. Never go through, around or under a gate.

After stopping: make sure all tracks are clear and that there is room for your car on the other side. Watch for buses and hazardous materials trucks that must stop. Do not shift gears on the tracks, and watch for more than one train.

If you stall on the tracks: get everyone out and off the tracks at once and move toward the direction the train is coming from. If no train is in sight, call the number on the blue Emergency Notification System sign so the railroad can try to stop trains, then call 911.

Trains cannot stop quickly. A typical 150-car freight train at 30 mph needs about 3,150 feet (three-fifths of a mile) to stop; at 60 mph, about 8,500 feet.