Never stop on railway tracks

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Why you must never come to a stop on rails, and exactly what to do if your vehicle stalls on a level crossing.

Cover, Never stop on railway tracks

Lesson objectives

Understand why stopping on railway tracks at a level crossing is strictly forbidden Know the real risks and legal consequences in case of breakdown Master the correct procedure to follow in case of involuntary immobilisation

The absolute prohibition: never stop on railway tracks

Stopping on a level crossing is forbidden by article 24, 3° , and article 20.4 even forbids entering it when congestion risks trapping you there. Belgium does not apply a points-based licence system. Classification by degree is a separate regulation from the Highway Code. What matters for the exam is the rule itself, and it admits no exceptions.

No exceptions: neither open barriers, nor the white moon light, nor traffic jams justify stopping on the tracks. Article 20.4 draws the practical consequence: do not enter when traffic congestion is such that you would likely be immobilised on the crossing. Fundamentally, the phrase "trains have absolute priority" is not the wording of the code, and it is misleading: it is not a priority relationship between road users, but the fact that a rail vehicle cannot swerve or stop in time . The code expresses this through prohibitions on entry (art. 20.2 to 20.4), not through a priority rule.

Level crossing with traffic congestion: do not block the tracks

Why this prohibition is vital

A train cannot swerve and cannot stop short: the stopping distance of a train is measured in hundreds of metres , and for a freight train at full speed, in more than a kilometre . This physical impossibility, not a priority rule, is the basis for all prohibitions in article 20.

A43

A43, Level crossing without barriers. Danger signal from series A, unrelated to motorways. It warns of a crossing with a railway line without barriers: article 20.2 requires you to exercise extra caution and enter only after ensuring no rail vehicle is approaching.

A41

A41, Level crossing with barriers. Danger signal from series A. It warns of a crossing protected by barriers: article 20.3 forbids entry as soon as the barriers are moving or closed, as soon as the red lights flash, or as soon as the audible signal sounds.

What to do in case of breakdown on the tracks?

If your vehicle breaks down or becomes involuntarily immobilised on a level crossing, you must act immediately:

1. Try to clear immediately: restart, and if the engine does not start, engage a gear and use the starter to move the vehicle off the tracks. 2. If the vehicle does not move, abandon it , first get all passengers out. 3. Move away from the tracks , and move in the direction from which the train would come , diagonally across the track: debris will be thrown least in that direction. 4. Alert : the emergency number of the infrastructure manager is shown on a sign at the level crossing; if not, call 112 . 5. Do not return, whatever the value of the vehicle or its contents.

Always keep your distance from the vehicle in front of you at level crossings. This gives you space to stop before the tracks in case of congestion. Enter a level crossing only if you are certain you can cross it completely.

Driver leaving a broken-down vehicle on the tracks

Light signals: how to interpret them

At a guarded level crossing (with lights and barriers), the light signals indicate the state of the crossing:

White moon light flashing : permission to cross the signal (art. 64.3). Two red lights flashing alternately : prohibition to cross the stop line or, failing that, the signal itself, for all road users (art. 64.2). Article 20.3, 2° simultaneously forbids entry. Audible signal in operation : prohibition to enter, even if the barriers have not yet started to move (art. 20.3, 3°). Barriers moving or closed : prohibition to enter (art. 20.3, 1°).

The three grounds for prohibition in article 20.3 are independent : the flashing red light is enough, the audible signal is enough, the moving barriers are enough. Waiting to see the barriers descend before stopping is already an infraction for several seconds.

A45

A45, Level crossing with a single railway line. This proximity sign indicates that the level crossing is just ahead, with a single track. Check for the absence of a train and cross the tracks without stopping on them.

A47

A47, Level crossing with two or more railway lines. Caution: there are multiple tracks, so multiple trains are possible and may arrive from different directions. Check each track before crossing and enter only if the entire crossing is completely clear.

Overtaking forbidden when approaching a level crossing

Article 17.2, 1° forbids overtaking on the left a towed vehicle, a two-wheeled motor vehicle or a vehicle with more than two wheels at a level crossing marked by an A45 or A47 , except if the crossing is equipped with barriers or if traffic is controlled by light signals . The prohibition does not depend on what the crossing is doing when you arrive ("closed or closing"): it depends on its equipment .

Plan well ahead of a level crossing. Ease off the accelerator as soon as you see the danger sign. This gives you time to stop comfortably if the lights come on or the barriers descend.

Mandatory equipment in case of breakdown

The warning triangle is part of the required equipment on board (art. 81.2). But at a level crossing, the priority of actions is clear: get occupants out, clear the vehicle if still possible, move away from the tracks, alert . The triangle is placed only after, and never at the cost of a second spent on the tracks.

Level crossing

Intersection between a public road and a railway line (train or tram tracks). May be guarded (with barriers and lights) or unguarded (without physical protection).

Prohibitions on entering a level crossing

Degrees of infraction: the Highway Code itself does not classify infractions by degree; this classification appears in a separate regulation. What the code establishes here are the prohibitions of articles 20.3, 20.4 and 24, 3°.

Absolute priority of rail vehicles

Rail vehicles: the code does not recognise them as having "absolute priority". It sets prohibitions on entry (art. 20.2 to 20.4) based on a material fact: a rail vehicle cannot swerve or stop in time. The practical consequence is the same; the wording expected in the exam is not.

Never stop on a level crossing: stopping and parking are prohibited (Art. 24, 3°), and you must not enter if congestion risks blocking you there (Art. 20.4). Three independent causes for prohibition (Art. 20.3): moving or closed barriers, flashing red lights, audible signal. Unguarded crossing, or signals out of service (Art. 20.2): exercise extreme caution, only proceed after ensuring no rail vehicle is approaching. In case of immobilisation : get occupants out, attempt to clear the vehicle, move away towards the direction the train is coming from , alert the operator or 112. Flashing lunar white light : authorisation to cross. Two alternating red lights : prohibition for all road users. Overtaking : prohibited on the left at a crossing indicated by A45 or A47, unless there are barriers or light signals (Art. 17.2, 1°).

Congratulations!

First complete the quiz for this lesson to check your understanding, then practise with the exam simulator and multiple-choice questions . You have finished this entire course. Congratulations, now for the practical part!

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