Roadwise States New Jersey Driving lessons Trains, animals, and horses New Jersey driving lesson · Sharing the Road
Trains, animals, and horses A 3-minute lesson from the New Jersey course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Read time 3 minutes
Course unit Sharing the Road
Checkpoint questions 6
Source pages 155, 157 A train can come on any track, from either direction, at any time, and it can't stop or swerve for you. Animals and horses are unpredictable in their own way. Slow down and give them the right-of-way.
Know the rule
Never drive through flashing red lights or around descending or lowered gates at a railroad crossing.
Handbook p. 155 ↗ Railroad crossing safety A yellow, circular RR advance warning sign and white RR pavement markings mean a crossing is ahead Never race a train; trains are closer and faster than they look A freight train at 55 mph can take a mile or more to stop Trains always have the right-of-way Don't pass other vehicles within 100 feet of a railroad crossing With a standard transmission, don't shift gears while crossing the tracks Handbook p. 155 ↗ Railroad advance warning sign (yellow and round) Don't get trapped Cross only when there's room to get completely across without stopping Trains can be three or more feet wider than the tracks on both sides Cross only at designated crossings; railroad property is private Obey warning devices, eliminate distractions, look both ways, listen, and cross quickly If you stall, get out and move away at a 45-degree angle toward the train; call the posted number or 911 Handbook p. 155 ↗ Know the rule
Animals often dart onto roads. Swerving to avoid them can make you hit something else or get hit from behind; watch both sides of the road ahead and expect sudden movement.
Handbook p. 157 ↗ Know the rule
Horseback riders and horse-drawn vehicles have the same rights and responsibilities as motor vehicle drivers on public roads.
Handbook p. 157 ↗ 25 mph or less Your speed when approaching or passing a horse rider or horse-drawn vehicle; proceed with caution
Handbook p. 157 ↗ Know the rule
If a rider or driver of a horse-drawn vehicle coming the other way raises a hand or signals, you must stop and stay stopped until the horse passes.
Handbook p. 157 ↗ Know the rule
Horse-drawn vehicles and riders can't use certain limited-access highways and must ride with traffic, as far right as possible.
Handbook p. 157 ↗ A horse-drawn vehicle must show a front light From 30 minutes after sunset until 30 minutes before sunrise When visibility is 500 feet or less In fog, mist, smoke or anything else that reduces visibility Handbook p. 157 ↗ Put it into practice
Traffic is backed up past a railroad crossing and the car ahead stops just beyond the tracks. Stay behind the crossing until there's room for your whole car on the other side. Trains overhang the rails by three feet or more.
Check your understanding Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.
How many feet before a railroad crossing is a motorist prohibited from passing another vehicle? 100 feet 50 feet 25 feet 200 feet Answer: 100 feet
A motorist may not pass another vehicle within 100 feet of a railroad crossing.
Handbook p. 155 ↗ A freight train traveling at 55 mph can take how far to come to a complete stop? About 500 feet A mile or more About 100 yards A quarter mile Answer: A mile or more
A freight train traveling at 55 mph can take a mile or more to stop, far more than most drivers expect.
Handbook p. 155 ↗ When approaching or passing a person riding a horse or driving a horse-drawn vehicle, to what speed must a motorist reduce? 35 mph or less 15 mph or less 25 mph or less 45 mph or less Answer: 25 mph or less
Motorists must reduce their speed to 25 mph or less when approaching or passing horse-drawn vehicles or horseback riders.
Handbook p. 157 ↗ What color and shape is the advance warning sign for an upcoming railroad crossing? Yellow and circular Red and octagonal Green and rectangular Blue and square Answer: Yellow and circular
The advance railroad crossing warning sign is yellow and circular, paired with white pavement markings.
Handbook p. 155 ↗ Trains always have the right-of-way over motorists at railroad crossings. True False Answer: True
Trains always have the right of way; motorists must yield to approaching trains.
Handbook p. 155 ↗ A motorist should try to outrun a train to cross the tracks before it arrives if it looks close. True False Answer: False
A motorist should never race a train; trains are closer and faster than they appear.
Handbook p. 155 ↗ Previous lesson Scooters, low-speed vehicles, and off-road vehicles Next lesson Title, registration, and license plates About the source Roadwise’s New Jersey course uses the driver handbook edition supplied with this study pack. This lesson cites source pages 155, 157. The linked PDF is a third-party mirror of the handbook, rather than a government-hosted page.
Open the handbook source PDF · View the source edition
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