New York · Handbook chapter 8 · 7 min read

Railroad crossings and what to do if you stall on the tracks, expressway entering and exiting, night driving and high beams, rain, fog and hydroplaning, winter driving and skids, deer, and driving emergencies in New York.

Why this chapter matters

Expect questions on railroad crossings, headlight distances (350, 500 and 200 feet), when headlights are required, and how to steer out of a skid. These are the conditions where judgment matters most.

Railroad crossings

A grade crossing, where tracks cross a road, counts as an intersection. Always expect a train: trains can come on any track, at any time, from either direction, and they are closer and faster than they look and cannot stop quickly.

• Never race a train, never drive around lowered gates, and never stop on the tracks. Stay in your lane and in the same gear as you cross.
• Active crossings (lights, gates or a bell): stop at least 15 feet from the tracks. Do not cross until the lights and bell stop and the gates are fully up. Never go around or under a moving gate.
• Passive crossings (no gates or lights): slow down, be ready to stop, and make sure no train is coming. With several tracks, wait until you can see down every track in both directions.
• The yellow round advance warning sign (an X and "RR") means a crossing is ahead.
• The crossbuck (an X reading RAILROAD CROSSING) means yield; a plate below shows how many tracks there are.
• Cross only if there is room for your whole vehicle on the other side.
• School buses (with or without passengers), other buses carrying passengers and vehicles carrying explosives or flammable cargo must stop at every crossing, so be ready when following them.

If you stall on the tracks

1. Get everyone out at once.
2. Get away from the tracks, even if no train is in sight.
3. Call the number on the Emergency Notification System sign.

If a train is coming, run toward the train but away from the tracks at a 45-degree angle, so you are not hit by debris. Only when you are completely sure no train is coming should you try to restart the engine or push the car off in neutral.

Expressway driving

An expressway is a divided highway with two or more lanes each way, usually entered and left by ramps. The limit is normally 55 mph, and can be 65 mph in some rural areas.

• Plan your entrance and exit ahead of time.
• Use the entrance ramp to reach expressway speed and merge, unless there is a STOP or YIELD sign or a light on the ramp. Signal and look over your shoulder.
• If the ramp is too short to get up to speed, stop and wait for a large gap, then accelerate quickly.
• If you miss your exit, go on to the next exit. Never back up on a ramp or cross the median.
• Signal your exit at least 100 feet before the exit ramp, and slow down on the ramp. Afterward, check the speed limit: you are probably no longer on a 55 mph road.
• Move out of the right lane, when you can, to make room for traffic merging from ramps.

Night driving

About 90% of driving decisions depend on what you see, and night vision gets worse with age.

• Your headlights reach about 350 feet. Drive slowly enough to stop within that distance: this is driving within the range of your headlights.
• Headlights are required from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise, when visibility is under 1,000 feet, and whenever you use your wipers for rain, snow or sleet. Parking lights and daytime running lights are not a substitute.
• Dim to low beam within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle and within 200 feet of a vehicle ahead, even in another lane.
• If an oncoming driver does not dim, flash your high beams once, then look toward the right edge of the road until they pass.
• Use the "night" setting on your inside mirror for glare from behind, keep the interior light off and keep your windshield clean.

Rain, fog and snow

• Slow down and increase your following distance, especially on curves, turns and ramps. Wet leaves are slippery too.
• Hydroplaning happens when tires ride on a film of water and lose grip. It is more likely at high speed and with worn or underinflated tires. If you start to lose traction, slow down more.
• Use low beams in rain, fog and snow; high beams reflect off the falling water and make visibility worse.
• Fog lights must be an approved type. Front fog lights may be amber or white; rear fog lights must be red.

Winter driving

• Fit snow tires before the first storm, and never mix radial and non-radial tires. Studded tires are allowed only from October 16 to April 30.
• Before driving, clear snow and ice from all windows, lights, wipers, the hood and the roof, and fill the washer reservoir with an anti-freeze solution.
• Bridges, ramps and overpasses freeze first.
• Brake early and gently. Front-wheel and four-wheel drive vehicles can still skid without warning.

Skids

Deer

Two-thirds of deer collisions happen in October, November and December, the breeding season. Deer are most active at dawn and dusk, and they travel in groups: if you see one, expect more. Slow down near deer, and use your flashers or headlights to warn other drivers.

Driving emergencies

The most important rule is do not panic. You usually have a second or two to think.