{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/46.2-886.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/46.2-886.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/46.2-886.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/46.2-886.html"}],"law_id":366325,"edition_id":2,"section_id":366325,"structure_id":52194,"section_number":"46.2-886","catch_line":"When drivers of certain vehicles to stop, look, and listen at railroad crossings; crossing tracks without shifting gears","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 46-254.1; 1956, c. 164; 1958, c. 541, \u00a7 46.1-245; 1989, c. 727.","full_text":"Except in cities or towns, the driver of any motor vehicle carrying passengers for hire, or of any vehicle carrying explosive substances or flammable liquids as a cargo or part of a cargo, before crossing at grade any railroad track, shall stop such vehicle within fifty feet but not less than fifteen feet from the nearest rail of such railroad and while stopped shall listen and look in both directions along the track for any approaching train, and for signals indicating the approach of a train, except as hereinafter provided in this section, and shall not proceed until he can do so safely. After stopping and upon proceeding when it is safe to do so, the driver of any vehicle shall cross only in such gear of the vehicle that there will be no necessity for changing gears while traversing the crossing.\n\nBefore crossing any railroad tracks at grade, the driver of any school bus shall stop the school bus within fifty feet but not less than fifteen feet from the nearest rail of such railroad and while stopped shall listen and look in both directions along the track for any approaching train, except as hereinafter provided in this section, and shall not proceed until he can do so safely. After stopping and upon proceeding when it is safe to do so, the driver of any school bus shall cross only in such gear of the vehicle that there will be no necessity for changing gears while traversing the crossing.\n\nNotwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, no stop need be made at any such crossing where a law-enforcement officer or a traffic-control signal directs traffic to proceed.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1364281,"text":"Except in cities or towns, the driver of any motor vehicle carrying passengers for hire, or of any vehicle carrying explosive substances or flammable liquids as a cargo or part of a cargo, before crossing at grade any railroad track, shall stop such vehicle within fifty feet but not less than fifteen feet from the nearest rail of such railroad and while stopped shall listen and look in both directions along the track for any approaching train, and for signals indicating the approach of a train, except as hereinafter provided in this section, and shall not proceed until he can do so safely. After stopping and upon proceeding when it is safe to do so, the driver of any vehicle shall cross only in such gear of the vehicle that there will be no necessity for changing gears while traversing the crossing.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":""},"1":{"id":1364282,"text":"Before crossing any railroad tracks at grade, the driver of any school bus shall stop the school bus within fifty feet but not less than fifteen feet from the nearest rail of such railroad and while stopped shall listen and look in both directions along the track for any approaching train, except as hereinafter provided in this section, and shall not proceed until he can do so safely. After stopping and upon proceeding when it is safe to do so, the driver of any school bus shall cross only in such gear of the vehicle that there will be no necessity for changing gears while traversing the crossing.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":""},"2":{"id":1364283,"text":"Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, no stop need be made at any such crossing where a law-enforcement officer or a traffic-control signal directs traffic to proceed.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"prior_prefix":""}},"ancestry":[{"id":52194,"edition_id":2,"name":"Railroad Crossings","identifier":"9","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":11,"parent_id":52184,"metadata":{"child_laws":4,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:55:53","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:34:09","permalink":{"id":1458049,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52194,"identifier":"9","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/9","url":"\/46.2\/III\/8\/9\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":52184,"edition_id":2,"name":"Regulation of Traffic","identifier":"8","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":52051,"metadata":{"child_laws":208,"child_structures":21},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:55:38","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:34:08","permalink":{"id":1457191,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52184,"identifier":"8","token":"46.2\/III\/8","url":"\/46.2\/III\/8\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":52051,"edition_id":2,"name":"Operation","identifier":"III","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":3,"parent_id":52048,"metadata":{"child_laws":589,"child_structures":55},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:52:29","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:34:07","permalink":{"id":1455599,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52051,"identifier":"III","token":"46.2\/III","url":"\/46.2\/III\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":52048,"edition_id":2,"name":"Motor Vehicles","identifier":"46.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":101,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":1830,"child_structures":157},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:52:29","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:34:02","permalink":{"id":1452291,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52048,"identifier":"46.2","token":"46.2","url":"\/46.2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":366323,"structure_id":52194,"section_number":"46.2-884","catch_line":"Railroad warning signals must be obeyed","url":"\/46.2-884\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/9\/46.2-884","metadata":false},{"id":366324,"structure_id":52194,"section_number":"46.2-885","catch_line":"When vehicles to stop at railroad grade crossings","url":"\/46.2-885\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/9\/46.2-885","metadata":false},{"id":366325,"structure_id":52194,"section_number":"46.2-886","catch_line":"When drivers of certain vehicles to stop, look, and listen at railroad crossings; crossing tracks without shifting gears","url":"\/46.2-886\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/9\/46.2-886","metadata":false},{"id":366326,"structure_id":52194,"section_number":"46.2-887","catch_line":"Moving crawler-type tractors, steam shovels, derricks, rollers, etc., over railroad grade crossings","url":"\/46.2-887\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/9\/46.2-887","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":366324,"structure_id":52194,"section_number":"46.2-885","catch_line":"When vehicles to stop at railroad grade crossings","url":"\/46.2-885\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/9\/46.2-885","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":366326,"structure_id":52194,"section_number":"46.2-887","catch_line":"Moving crawler-type tractors, steam shovels, derricks, rollers, etc., over railroad grade crossings","url":"\/46.2-887\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/9\/46.2-887","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/46.2-886\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 3 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1956, chapter 164; in 1958, chapter 541; in 1989, chapter 727.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1458059,"object_type":"law","relational_id":366325,"identifier":"46.2-886","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/9\/46.2-886","url":"\/46.2-886\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/46.2-886\/","token":"46.2\/III\/8\/9\/46.2-886","dublin_core":{"Title":"When drivers of certain vehicles to stop, look, and listen at railroad crossings; crossing tracks without shifting gears","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 46.2-886","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Except in cities or towns, the driver<\/span> of any motor vehicle<\/span> carrying passengers for hire, or of any vehicle carrying explosive substances or flammable liquids as a cargo or part of a cargo, before crossing at grade any railroad track, shall stop such vehicle within fifty feet but not less than fifteen feet from the nearest rail of such railroad and while stopped shall listen and look in both directions along the track for any approaching train, and for signals indicating the approach of a train, except as hereinafter provided in this section, and shall not proceed until he can do so safely. After stopping and upon proceeding when it is safe to do so, the driver<\/span> of any vehicle shall cross only in such gear of the vehicle that there will be no necessity for changing gears while traversing the crossing.<\/p>

Before crossing any railroad tracks at grade, the driver<\/span> of any school bus<\/span> shall stop the school bus<\/span> within fifty feet but not less than fifteen feet from the nearest rail of such railroad and while stopped shall listen and look in both directions along the track for any approaching train, except as hereinafter provided in this section, and shall not proceed until he can do so safely. After stopping and upon proceeding when it is safe to do so, the driver<\/span> of any school bus<\/span> shall cross only in such gear of the vehicle that there will be no necessity for changing gears while traversing the crossing.<\/p>

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, no stop need be made at any such crossing where a law<\/span>-enforcement officer<\/span> or a traffic-control signal directs traffic to proceed.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nWHEN DRIVERS OF CERTAIN VEHICLES TO STOP, LOOK, AND LISTEN AT RAILROAD\nCROSSINGS; CROSSING TRACKS WITHOUT SHIFTING GEARS (\u00a7 46.2-886)\n\nExcept in cities or towns, the driver of any motor vehicle carrying passengers\nfor hire, or of any vehicle carrying explosive substances or flammable liquids\nas a cargo or part of a cargo, before crossing at grade any railroad track,\nshall stop such vehicle within fifty feet but not less than fifteen feet from\nthe nearest rail of such railroad and while stopped shall listen and look in\nboth directions along the track for any approaching train, and for signals\nindicating the approach of a train, except as hereinafter provided in this\nsection, and shall not proceed until he can do so safely. After stopping and\nupon proceeding when it is safe to do so, the driver of any vehicle shall cross\nonly in such gear of the vehicle that there will be no necessity for changing\ngears while traversing the crossing.\n\nBefore crossing any railroad tracks at grade, the driver of any school bus shall\nstop the school bus within fifty feet but not less than fifteen feet from the\nnearest rail of such railroad and while stopped shall listen and look in both\ndirections along the track for any approaching train, except as hereinafter\nprovided in this section, and shall not proceed until he can do so safely. After\nstopping and upon proceeding when it is safe to do so, the driver of any school\nbus shall cross only in such gear of the vehicle that there will be no necessity\nfor changing gears while traversing the crossing.\n\nNotwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, no stop need be made\nat any such crossing where a law-enforcement officer or a traffic-control signal\ndirects traffic to proceed.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 46-254.1; 1956, c. 164; 1958, c. 541, \u00a7 46.1-245; 1989,\nc. 727.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}