According to NFPA 1500, during response to an emergency or non-emergency, the driver shall blank at all unguarded railroad crossings.

• A. Come to a Complete Stop
• B. Accelerate Through
• C. Stop Only If Necessary
• D. Sound the Horn and Proceed

Answer: (A)

Stopping at all unguarded railroad crossings during response is required to verify there is no train approaching before crossing. Without signals or gates, a train can be coming quickly and may not be visible or audible until the last moment, so NFPA 1500 directs the driver to come to a complete stop, then look, listen, and only proceed when the track is clear and safe. Simply sounding a horn or continuing through is not a substitute for stopping, and delaying only if it seems “necessary” unsafe; the safest approach is to stop every time and confirm there is no train before crossing.