31-5-511. Stopping requirements for certain vehicles at railroad crossings.

(a) The driver of any motor vehicle carrying passengers for hire, or of any school bus whether empty or carrying school children, or of any vehicle carrying a cargo or part of a cargo required to be placarded under United States department of transportation regulations, before crossing at grade any track or tracks of a railroad, shall:

(i) Actuate the vehicle's four-way hazard flashers prior to stopping at the grade crossing;

(ii) Stop the vehicle within fifty (50) feet but not less than fifteen (15) feet from the nearest rail of the railroad;

(iii) While stopped, listen and look in both directions along the track for any approaching train or other on-track equipment and for signals indicating the approach of a train or other on-track equipment and not proceed until he can do so safely;

(iv) Upon proceeding, cross the tracks without manually shifting gears and only in a gear of the vehicle which does not require manually changing gears while traversing the crossing; and

(v) After crossing the tracks, cancel the four-way hazard flashers.

(b) Except for school buses which will stop at all railroad crossings, this section shall not apply at:

(i) Any railroad grade crossing at which traffic is controlled by a police officer or flagman;

(ii) Any railroad grade crossing at which traffic is regulated by a traffic-control signal;

(iii) Any railroad grade crossing protected by crossing gates or an alternately flashing light signal intended to give warning of the approach of a railroad train or other on-track equipment;

(iv) Any railroad grade crossing at which an official traffic-control device gives notice that the stopping requirement imposed by this section does not apply.

(c) The highway department may adopt such regulations as may be necessary describing additional vehicles which must comply with the stopping requirements of this section.