Why is it a law in most if not all states for buses to stop at railroad crossings and open the doors to checks

Question

You'd think if the bus is on the Railroad crossing and a train is coming they should be off the tracks and isn't the railroad barrier good enough ?

Answer 1

A majority of railroad crossings do not have physical barriers, especially in rural areas. In my area, train crossings with drop-down gates are rare. Many crossings do not even have lights or audible signals.

Also, if a bus proceeds onto the tracks while a train is coming, it might be prevented by traffic from moving off the tracks before the train arrived. A very deadly bus accident several years ago happened when the rear of the bus was still over the tracks and the driver didn't realize it; she was stopped at a light.

The stop/look/listen law is intended to make the driver notice an oncoming train before he or she drives onto the tracks.

Answer 2

The barriers jammed on a high speed line recently in my local area. I know this because I was on the train.

We felt a jerk, and it wasn't untill the driver announced that it was the emergency brake that we realised just how little the train was slowing.

We were lucky the lights had continued to work, and had gone into failsafe mode (stopping the traffic). We hadn't stopped 'till after we went over the crossing.

Trains can't stop, busses can choose not to start.

Answer 3

And what if the barrier has failed? It is so the driver can check for an approaching train. He should not be relying on what is basically a fallible system.

Answer 4

Just like Operation Lifesaver, Stop,Look, Listen.People should always have their window cracked slightly, even in winter so they can hear emergency vehicles and trains!

Answer 5

I heard somewhere that it is so you can hear a train coming if there is one.