For many of us, the sound of a railroad train’s whistle in the distance may recall a simpler time in our nation’s history, a time when there were fewer cars on the road and a slower pace of life. However, much of the old time romance of a train has gone, replaced with clogged roads full of people hurrying to get wherever they are going.
Sometimes, railroad crossings just seem to get in our way. How many times have you sat for a very long time at a railroad crossing with the gate down and no train in sight or hearing range? Pretty soon, one car goes ahead, then another, and another. It’s just your luck to be the one the police spot and pull over.
Georgia Railroad Crossing Laws
Today, while trains still roll on down the tracks, road traffic has become more and more congested and Georgia has developed some pretty specific and strict laws governing how our vehicles are to behave at railroad crossings.
You can be ticketed for many infractions involving Georgia railroad crossings. These include the following Georgia State Codes:
- 40-6-140, Failure to Obey RR Crossing Restrictions
- 40-6-140A, Failure to Obey RR Grade Crossing Restrictions
- 40-6-140B, Failure to Obey RR Crossing Restrictions (driving around or over a RR barrier)
- 40-6-140C, Failure to Slow for RR Grade Crossing
- 40-6-140D, Driving Over RR Crossing When Train Approaching
- 40-6-140E, Driving Over RR Crossing Without Sufficient Space
- 40-6-140F, Driving Over RR Crossing Without Sufficient Clearance
- 40-6-141, Failure to Obey RR Gates/Signs/Signals
- 40-6-142, Failure to Stop at RR Grade Crossing
- 40-6-143, Moving Heavy Equipment at RR Grade Crossing
What do all these infractions have in common? Simple. Three points added to your Georgia driver’s license if you are convicted, a possible increase in your insurance rates, and one great big legal hassle.
And if those three points happen to put you over the 15-points-in-two-years limit, you may be facing suspension of your driver’s license.
As a north Georgia traffic violation law firm, we at the Law Office of Scott Miller in Alpharetta know that one mistake on the road can cause problems you were not counting on facing. Contact us today if you need help with a railroad crossing or any other kind of traffic ticket. We can help.
