What should you do if the red lights start flashing as you approach a level crossing?
- A Go over it quickly
- B Go over it carefully
- C Stop before the barrier
- D Switch on your hazard warning lights
Why this is the answer
At level crossings, the red lights flash before and while the barrier is down. At most crossings, an amber light will precede the red lights. You must stop behind the white line unless you've already crossed it when the amber light comes on. Do not be tempted to zigzag around half-barriers.
Why the other answers don't fit
- A
- Go over it quickly — A train is coming. Speed does not make that safe.
- B
- Go over it carefully — Care is not the point. Flashing red means stop.
- D
- Switch on your hazard warning lights — Hazard lights do not give you permission to cross.
Where this comes from
- Driving: the essential skills — section 6
- The Highway Code — rule 293
- Know Your Traffic Signs — page 30
Rule numbers link to The Highway Code on gov.uk.
Where this question comes from
The question, its options and the explanation are reproduced word for word from the DVSA revision question bank under licence. The licence requires them to appear unaltered, so we cannot reword them and neither can anyone else — that is why you will meet the same wording on other sites. Everything else on this page is written by Theory Hub: the explanation of why each wrong answer is wrong, the topic guide and the revision notes.
Asked in: Car , Motorcycle
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